Slovenia's liberals and populists neck and neck, preliminary results show

Key Points:

• Slovenia's parliamentary election results show a near tie between Prime Minister Robert Golob’s center-left Freedom Movement (28.5%) and the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) led by Janez Jansa (28.1%), leading to political uncertainty as no party holds a majority.
• The outcome means future government formation will depend on smaller parties acting as kingmakers, with Golob expressing confidence in forming a government despite anticipating tough negotiations, while Jansa predicted political instability.
• The election is viewed as a critical test for Slovenia's political direction, between maintaining a liberal EU-aligned course under Golob or shifting toward right-wing populism under Jansa, who is allied with Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
• The campaign was marred by allegations of secret recordings aimed at influencing voters, with investigations into possible links between Jansa’s party and a private foreign agency, Black Cube, which has a controversial history but denies wrongdoing.
• Golob’s government has faced internal challenges including reshuffles and policy inconsistencies, while internationally it has taken a pro-Palestinian stance, contrasting with Jansa’s pro-Israel position, reflecting deep political divides within Slovenia.