Slovenia has entered the second round of talks on the appointment of a new prime minister-designate, after President Nataša Pirc Musar decided not to propose any candidate in the first round. She informed parliament that consultations with parliamentary groups showed that no candidate had majority support, and that she did not want to nominate a candidate for a minority government.
In the next 14 days, both the president and members of parliament have the right to propose a candidate for prime minister-designate. According to the reports, the candidacy of Janez Janša, leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party, is expected in this second round. Janša said that the SDS, the bloc around New Slovenia, and Anže Logar’s Democrats had agreed on the starting points for a possible coalition agreement.
Janša expects the concrete content of the agreement to be harmonized within about a week, after which the distribution of ministerial portfolios would follow. The move comes after outgoing Prime Minister Robert Golob’s side failed to secure enough support to form a new government, opening space for Janša to try to build a parliamentary majority.
If a candidate is proposed in this round, the National Assembly must vote no earlier than 48 hours and no later than seven days after the deadline for submitting nominations expires. This means a vote could take place no earlier than May 22.
If no prime minister-designate is elected in the second round, the president dissolves parliament and calls new elections, unless the National Assembly decides within 48 hours, by a majority of MPs present, to hold another vote for prime minister. In that additional round, a majority of MPs present would be enough, but Janša has already said the SDS would not form a government in that phase.
