Exit polls in Slovenia's parliamentary election on Sunday suggested an opposition liberal party won by a landslide, dealing a major defeat to populist Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who was accused of pushing the small European Union country to the right while in office. The polls, conducted by the Mediana polling agency and published by public broadcaster TV Slovenia and commercial Pop TV, showed opposition Freedom Movement won 35.8% of support compared with the ruling conservative Slovenian Democratic Party's 22.5%. Trailing behind the top two contenders were the New Slovenia party with 6.8%, followed by the Social Democrats with 6.6% and the Left party with 4.4%. The polls have proven reliable in the past. If confirmed in an official tally, the result means that the Freedom Movement, a newcomer in the election, stands likely to form the next government in a coalition with smaller center-left groups. The party leader addressed supporters via a video message from his home because he has COVID-19. "Tonight people dance," Robert Golob told the cheering crowd at the party headquarters. "Tomorrow is a new day and serious work lies ahead." Jansa posted a message to supporters on Twitter, saying only "thank you for your vote". About 1.7 million citizens of the small Alpine nation with the right to vote had to choose from an array of parties running for seats in the 90-member legislature. Janša's conservative Slovenian Democratic Party, SDS, and newly formed Freedom Movement led in the polls ahead of the vote. Janša became prime minister a little over two years ago after the previous liberal premier resigned. An open admirer of former US President Donald Trump and a close ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Janša has pushed the country to the right since taking over at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main challenger Sunday is former business executive Robert Golob and his Freedom Movement or Gibanje Svoboda party. The party has advocated green energy transition and sustainable development over Janša's nation-centered narrative. The two blocs are projected to win an almost equal number of votes — around 20-25% — which would mean the composition and course of the future government could depend on which smaller groups pass the 4% election threshold. Observers have given Golob a better chance than Janša of gathering a post-election alliance. Janša's SDS won the most votes in an election four years ago, but could not initially find partners for a coalition government. He took over after lawmakers from centrist and left-leaning groups switched sides following the resignation in 2020 of liberal Prime Minister Marjan Šarec. Janša has since faced accusations of sliding toward authoritarian rule in the style of Orban. Janša came under EU scrutiny amid reports that he pressured opponents and public media, launched attacks against journalists, and installed loyalists in key positions for control over state institutions. Liberals have described Sunday's election as a referendum on Slovenia's future. They argue that Janša, if reelected, would push the traditionally moderate nation further away from "core" EU democratic values and toward other populist regimes. The Freedom House democracy watchdog recently issued a report on Slovenia, stating, "While political rights and civil liberties are generally respected, the current right-wing government has continued attempts to undermine the rule of law and democratic institutions, including the media and judiciary." The 63-year-old political veteran, Janša has denied this, portraying himself as a victim of an elaborate leftist smear plot. In order to polish his image before the election, Janša has distanced himself from Orbán and adopted a tough stance toward Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. — Euronews
