Slovenian Democratic Union Slovenska Demokratična Zveza | |
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| President | Dimitrji Rupel |
| Founded | January 11, 1989 (1989-01-11) |
| Dissolved | 1991 |
| Succeeded by | Democratic Party of Slovenia National Democratic Party |
| Ideology | Conservatism Slovene nationalism Liberalism Faction: Social liberalism |
| Political position | Centre-right Faction: Centre-left |
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TheSlovenian Democratic Union (Slovene:Slovenska demokratična zveza, acronymSDZ) was aSloveneliberalpolitical party, active between 1989 and 1991, during thedemocratization and the secession of theRepublic of Slovenia fromYugoslavia.[1]
The party was founded on 11 January 1989[2] in theCankar Hall inLjubljana, andDimitrij Rupel was elected as its president.[citation needed] It was one of the first political party established in opposition to theCommunist regime.[2] It was founded mostly by intellectuals around the alternative journalNova revija and it was initially called Slovenian Democratic Union of Reason.
In December 1989, it joined theDemocratic Opposition of Slovenia, together with theSocial Democratic Party of Slovenia, theSlovene Christian Democrats, theSlovenian People's Party and theGreens of Slovenia. In April 1990, the coalition won the first free elections in Slovenia afterWorld War II, gaining around 55% of the popular vote. The Slovenian Democratic Union received around 9,5% of the vote, becoming the third largest party in the coalition and the fifth in theSlovenian National Assembly. Despite the relatively modest result, members of the party covered several key positions in the new cabinet led by the Christian DemocratLojze Peterle, such as the Ministry of Interior, Defence, Justice, Information. Besides, the party memberFrance Bučar was elected president of theSlovenian parliament.
After the independence of Slovenia, the party split into two. Itsleft liberal wing, led by the president Dimitrij Rupel, founded theDemocratic Party, while the conservative wing, led by the minister of justiceRajko Pirnat established the centre-rightNational Democratic Party.[3] In the election of 1992, both parties suffered a defeat. The Democratic Party gained 5,01% of the popular vote, and in 1994, most of its members joined theLiberal Democracy of Slovenia. The National Democratic Party obtained 2.18% of the vote and no seats in Parliament. In 1993, the National Democrats joined theSlovene Christian Democrats, and in 1995 they switched to theSlovenian Social Democratic Party.
Despite its relatively small popular support, the Slovenian Democratic Union was one of the most influential parties in Slovenia between 1988 and 1991. After its dissolution, its former members have become influential members of other political formations.
The legal successors of the Slovenian Democratic Union are theSlovenian Democratic Party and theLiberal Democracy of Slovenia.
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