 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
← 2022 22 March 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 90 seats in theNational Assembly 46 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion polls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parliamentary elections are to be held inSlovenia on 22 March 2026. It will determine the composition of theNational Assembly, which determines thegovernment of Slovenia.
The2022 Slovenian parliamentary election held on 24 April resulted in a landslide victory for the newly formed liberalFreedom Movement, led by former energy executiveRobert Golob. The party won 34.5% of the vote and 41 seats, the largest number secured by a single party since independence, displacing the incumbentSlovenian Democratic Party government of Prime MinisterJanez Janša.[1] Only five parties entered parliament, the fewest since Slovenia’s independence.
Golob announced a coalition with theSocial Democrats, 7 seats andThe Left, 5 seats, giving the coalition a working majority of 53 seats.[2] The coalition agreement was signed on 24 May 2022, and the National Assembly confirmed Golob as prime minister shortly afterward. The15th Government of Slovenia was sworn in on 1 June 2022, comprising ministers from all three coalition partners.[3]
Since the formation of Prime MinisterRobert Golob's government in 2022, there has been frequent ministerial turnover due to disputes, scandals, and political pressure.
The first major departure came in December 2022, when Interior MinisterTatjana Bobnar resigned over alleged interference in police staffing.[4] She was replaced byBoštjan Poklukar in February 2023.[5]
In 2023, several ministers left, including Health MinisterDanijel Bešič Loredan,[6] Agriculture MinisterIrena Šinko,[7] and Natural Resources MinisterUroš Brežan.[8] The departures contributed to perceptions of instability, while the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) opened an inquiry into Golob.[9]
Turnover continued in 2024. Justice MinisterDominika Švarc Pipan resigned amid theLitijska Affair,[10] and was succeeded byAndreja Katič.[11] Defence MinisterMarjan Šarec left after being elected to theEuropean Parliament,[12] and was replaced byBorut Sajovic.[13] Digital Transformation MinisterEmilija Stojmenova Duh also resigned later that year.[14]
KPK investigations into Golob intensified through 2024–2025, alongside multiple interpellations and coalition tensions.[15][16]
A major crisis followed in October 2025, when the widely publicizeddeath of Aleš Šutar prompted the resignations of both Justice Minister Katič and Interior Minister Poklukar.[17]
Since taking office in 2022, the Robert Golob government has struggled with persistently low public approval. A Mediana poll, conducted forPop TV in June 2025 put government approval at 32,5 %, up only marginally from 31.3 % in May.[18] By September, a Median survey reported support rising to 35 %, the highest in ten months, though this followed earlier stagnation.[19] However, an October 2025Delo poll showed support slipping again.[20]
Pre-election polls also highlight dissatisfaction: in the latest Mediana and Ninamedia survey, the rulingFreedom Movement scored 17.5 and 17.1 %, trailing the oppositionSlovenian Democratic Party at 21.1 and 22.1 %, although the SVO has recently risen in polls a bit, due to lack of options on the centre-left side.[21] Overall trends from multiple pollsters show the coalition parties lagging behind opposition forces.
Observers have described the 2024 European Parliament election as a kind of referendum on the Golob government. SDS won the most seats, while SVO secured two, underlining mid-term unpopularity[22]
Contributing to public discontent are perceived policy missteps and inexperience in governance, notably in defence spending, energy policy, and internal disputes such as police staffing.[23] Trust in the Prime Minister Golob also declined, by early 2024, his personal rating was around 2.33/5, weighed down by coalition infighting and unmet reform promises in health and public administration. These issues have fueled calls for accountability and raised concerns over political stability, as reflected in polling data.
The next Slovenian parliamentary election is expected to take place on 22 March 2026, following an announcement by PresidentNataša Pirc Musar after consultations with parliamentary party leaders.[24] This aligns with the expiry of the four-year term of the National Assembly elected on 24 April 2022.[25]
Under theConstitution of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Assembly Elections Act (Zakon o volitvah v državni zbor), thePresident of Slovenia issues a decree calling parliamentary elections. Regular elections must be called no earlier than 135 days and no later than 60 days before the end of the Assembly’s term, and voting must occur no later than two months before its expiry.[26][27] Once the decree is published in the Official Gazette, formal electoral procedures begin, including the appointment of electoral bodies and updates to voter registration.[28]
Candidate lists must be submitted no later than 30 days before election day, with constituency electoral commissions verifying them within five days. Campaigning is regulated by the Elections and Referendum Campaign Act, which imposes a 48-hour electoral silence before polls open.[29][30]
If the National Assembly is dissolved early, such as following the failure to elect a Prime Minister or a successful vote of no confidence. The President must call a snap election within 60 days. The new term begins with the Assembly’s first session after the vote.
For the 2022 parliamentary election, the presidential decree was issued on 9 February 2022, setting the vote for 24 April 2022. The next parliamentary election is expected on 22 March 2026, with the date announced on 22 December 2025.[31]
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 22 October 2025 | President Nataša Pirc Musar announces that the elections will take place on either 15, 22 or 29 March 2026.[31] |
| 22 December 2025 | President Nataša Pirc Musar announces that the elections will take place on 22 March 2026.[32] |
| 6 January 2026 | President Nataša Pirc Musar will officially sign the election date into law[32] |
| 4 February 2026 | The parties can open the checking accounts, specifically for the election. |
| 19 February 2026 | Beginning of pre-election period. Nominations of candidates close. |
| 6 March 2026 | The candidate lists are published. |
| 17-19 March 2026 | Early voting – polls open from 7 am to 7 pm. |
| 21 March 2026 | Start of theelection silence at 12 am. |
| 22 March 2026 | Election Day – polls open from 7 am to 7 pm and announcement of the results. |
Citizens of Slovenia who are at least 18 years old on election day are eligible to vote in elections to theNational Assembly. Voting rights are universal and equal for all eligible citizens, regardless of social, ethnic, economic, or political affiliation. Individuals deprived of legal capacity by a court decision due to an inability to understand the purpose of elections may be excluded.[33][34]
Slovenian citizens residing abroad also retain voting rights. They may vote by post or at diplomatic and consular missions if they notify authorities within the prescribed deadlines.[35]
Voter registration is automatic and based on the central population register maintained by the Ministry of the Interior. Electoral rolls are compiled 15 days before election day and list voters by their permanent or last registered residence. Voters must cast their ballots at the polling station assigned to them unless eligible for special voting arrangements, such as OMNIA stations for individuals who have changed residence after the roll compilation.[28]
Voting takes place by secret ballot, and Slovenia does not require compulsory voting. Proxy voting is prohibited, except in cases of certified disability where legally defined assistance is permitted. In-person voting is held on election day from 7:00 to 19:00, while limited postal voting is available for hospitalized, detained, or temporarily absent voters who notify the State Election Commission in advance.[35]
Members of the Italian and Hungarian national communities possess additional voting rights, enabling them to elect their own representatives in dedicated single-member constituencies, in addition to voting for the remaining 88 deputies under the general system.[36]
TheNational Assembly consists of 90 members. Of these, 88 are elected throughopen listproportional representation across eight constituencies, each electing 11 deputies. The remaining two seats are reserved for the Italian and Hungarian minority communities, elected using theBorda count method.[35]
Political parties or lists must surpass the national 4% electoral threshold to qualify for seat allocation. Within each constituency, seats are distributed using theDroop quota method. Voters may cast a preferential vote for a candidate on a party list, influencing the order of election within that list.
Remaining seats after constituency allocation are distributed at the national level using theD'Hondt method to maintain proportionality. Although Slovenia is divided into 88 electoral districts, not all districts necessarily elect a deputy, as multiple deputies may be elected from some districts depending on list performance.[37]
Gender quotas apply to candidate lists: at least 35% of candidates must be from each gender, except on three-candidate lists, which must include at least one candidate of each gender.[38][39]
As of October 2025, no amendments have yet been made to the proportional representation system, and the electoral framework remains unchanged from previous elections, despite a referendum approving the introduction of the preferential vote and ongoing public and political calls for a shift toward a two-round mayority electoral system.
The following parties and lists have seats in the current National Assembly before the election:
| Name | Ideology | Position | Leader | Last Election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LBP | List of Boris Popovič - Let's digitize Slovenia Lista Borisa Popoviča - digitalizirajmo Slovenijo | Digitalization | Centre | Boris Popovič | 2022 | |||
| ND | Our Country Naša dežela | Agrarianism | Centre-right | Aleksandra Pivec | 2022 | |||
| NS | New Social Democracy - Krek's Socialists Nova Socialdemokracija - Krekovi socialisti | Christian socialism | Centre-left | Andrej Magajna | 2022 | |||
| SKU | Community Skupnost | Localism | Centre-left | Marko Funkl | New | |||
| SMS | Youth Party – European Greens Stranka mladih – Zeleni Evrope | Youth politics | Centre-left | Igor Jurišič | 2011 | |||
| SNP | Our Future Naša Prihodnost | Anti-corruption | Centre-left | Ivan Gale | 2022 | |||
| VOLT | Volt Slovenia Volt Slovenija | European federalism | Centre-left | Borja Ranzinger | Not yet founded. 145 / 200 [58] | |||
| ZLS | For the People of Slovenia Za ljudstvo Slovenije | Sovereigntism | Right-wing | Borut Loboda | 2022 | |||
A number of new political parties emerged after the previous election. The first wasPavel Rupar's Voice of Pensioners, founded at its inaugural congress on 20 January 2024 by formerSDSMP and Mayor ofTržičPavel Rupar[63]. Ahead of the2024 European Parliament election, thesatirical partyNone of the Above was established under the leadership of activist Boris Žulj and formerThe Left MPVioleta Tomić.[64]
In the same year, formerMinister of Foreign AffairsAnže Logar and2022 presidental candidate began building his own political party, and following his departure from SDS, the partyDemocrats was formally founded.[65] Another new party,Karl Erjavec - Trust Party, led by four-timeDeSUS MinisterKarl Erjavec, was established soon afterwards.[66]
In early 2025,Marko Lotrič, President of theNational Council, founded his partyFocus of Marko Lotrič at an inaugural congress held atBrdo pri Kranju.[67] Later that year,DeSUS andGood State merged into theParty of Generations, led by formerMinister of LaborVlado Dimovski.[68] Former SDS MPDejan Kaloh founded the partySuvereni, and a party of local lists,Community, was formed under the leadership of Mayor ofHrastnik Marko Funkl.[69]
The partyPrerod - Party of Vladimir Prebilič was founded by former Mayor ofKočevje,2022 presidental candidate andMEPVladimir Prebilič,[70] and formerThe Left MP and another 2022 presidental candidateMiha Kordiš founded the socialist partyWe, Socialists![71] Two further projects were reported to be in the process of establishment, The Guard, linked to Catholic podcaster Alen Koman, andVolt Slovenia, as a Slovenian branch of the pan-European federalist movementVolt Europa.[72]
Pre-election alliances, mergers, and cooperation talks reshaped the landscape.Greens of Slovenia first called for the unification of green forces on a joint list.[73]The Left andVesna – Green Party signed a pre-election agreement announcing a joint run in the election;[74] the cooperation was later formally confirmed by both parties in their internal bodies.[75][76] Talks about cooperation within this broader left-green axis also included the newly established localist partyCommunity,[77] which is also a potential partner forPrerod - Party of Vladimir Prebilič, as wasParty of Generations until they announced they would contesting the election alone.[78] In addition, a public appeal on social media, with the liberal activistJaša Jenull urgingWe, Socialists!,The Left,Vesna, and thePirates to join forces and establish a United Progressive Front.[79]
On the centre-left,Prerod announced talks with theSocial Democrats and related cooperation initiatives on the wider left.[80] However, Prerod later rejected the option of a joint list with SD and announced it would run independently, while leaving open further talks with theParty of Generations, although they later also rejected this option.[81]Prebilič also invited the leaders of several centre-left parties to a meeting intended to explore future cooperation, but the meeting did not take place because most invitees declined.Robert Golob invited SD, The Left, We, Socialists!, Pirates, Prerod, Vesna and unexpectedlyResni.ca for talks.[82] Resni.ca rejected the offer andKarl Erjavec claimed that hisKarl Erjavec - Trust Party was not invited because it cannot be "cannibalized".[83]
In the centre, Greens of Slovenia and Party of Generations formed an alliance.[84]
On the centre-right,Concretely merged intoDemocrats,[85] andNew Social Democracy, led byAndrej Magajna, later announced they were in talks about a united participation with Democrats,[86] which was later abandoned.New Slovenia and theSlovenian People’s Party opened talks on possible joint cooperation,[87] and NSi, SLS, andFOKUS each signed a separate declaration of intent and began coordinating a potential common list and the distribution of constituencies.[88][89]
On the nationalist side,Suvereni,United Slovenia Movement andParty of Slovenian People, MPDejan Kaloh,Andrej Šiško and Ivan Bolfek, announced efforts to form a “sovereigntist–patriotic bloc” and referenced the political action SLOEXIT, proposing Slovenia’s withdrawal from the EU and a debate on leaving NATO.[90] Suvereni representatives later appeared at an event organised by Karl Erjavec - Trust Party, where cooperation and the formation of a new parliamentary group were discussed.[91] However, Suvereni subsequently decided to run independently rather than enter an electoral partnership with Karl Erjavec - Trust Party,[92] andUnited Slovenia Movement andParty of Slovenian People announced the forming of the Coaliton of the United Nations.[93]
Among smaller actors,None of the Above andFor a Healthy Society announced plans for a joint electoral list,[94] while Resni.ca was reportedly invited but declined.
The Left were the first to change coordinators when they replacedLuka Mesec withAsta Vrečko in 2023.[95] Social Democrats were next when they electedMatjaž Han as party president,[96] afterTanja Fajon resigned afterLitijska Affair.[97]
In 2025 several parties reaffirmed their leaders or elected new ones.Slovenian Democratic Party subsequently held its congress, at whichJanez Janša was reconfirmed as party president and continuing his 33-year long streak at the helm of the party.[98]New Slovenia then followed as they electedJernej Vrtovec as party president, succeedingMatej Tonin.[99]
Freedom reaffirmedRobert Golob as party president at its electoral congress.[100] The electoral congress ofThe Left followed, with current coordinatorAsta Vrečko and former coordinatorLuka Mesec confirmed as co-coordinators.[101]Vesna reconfirmed its co-leadership, withUrša Zgojznik andUroš Macerl continuing as co-presidents.[102]
| Party | Original slogan | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance ofThe Left andVesna - Green Party | Situacija v svetu je resna, zato Levica in Vesna.[103] | The global situation is serious, which is why Levica and Vesna. | |
| Coalition for a United Nation | Vstani narod za svojo prihodnost.[104] | Rise up, people, for your future. | |
| Democrats of Anže Logar | Obstaja izbira.[105] | Choice exists. | |
| For a Healthy Society | Smo vaš glas za zdravo družbo[106] | We are your voice for a healthy society | |
| Freedom Movement | Slovenija naprej.[107] | Slovenia Forward. | |
| Karl Erjavec - Trust Party | Za varno prihodnost![108] | For a safe future! | |
| Greens of Slovenia andParty of Generations | Izbira za vse generacije[109] | A choice for all generations | |
| New Slovenia - Christian Democrats,Slovenian People's Party andFocus of Marko Lotrič | Skupaj v akcijo![110] | Together in action! | |
| Pavel Rupar's Voice of Pensioners | Izkušnje, ki združujejo, vizija, ki navdihuje.[111] | Experiences that unite, a vision that inspires. | |
| Pirate Party of Slovenia | Naj razvoj služi ljudem![112] | Let development serve the people! | |
| Prerod - Party of Vladimir Prebilič | Nimajo še slogana. | No slogan yet. | |
| Resni.ca | Moč ljudem![113] | Power to the people! | |
| Social Democrats | Dogovor. Za mir, razvoj in blaginjo.[114] | Agreement. For peace, development, and prosperity. | |
| Slovenian Democratic Party | Za ustavno večino razuma[115] | For a constitutional majority of reason | |
| Slovenian National Party | Slovenijo Slovencem![116] | Slovenia for Slovenes! | |
| Suvereni | Slovenija na prvem mestu.[117] | Slovenia First. | |
| The Guard - Catholic National Party | Bog. Družina. Domovina.[118] | God. Family. Homeland. | |
| We, Socialists! | Naša politika je robinhoodovska.[119] | Our politics are Robin Hood–style. | |
Opinion polling for the next Slovenian parliamentary election is being carried out continually by various organisations to gauge voting intention. The dates for these opinion polls range from the 2022 Parliamentary election on 24 April to the present day.
| Polling aggregator | Last update | SVO | SDS | NSi | SLS | SD | Levica | Vesna | ZS | RES | PIR | SNS | DEM | PVP | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odmev | 3 Feb 2026 | 22.8 | 29.1 | 6.9 | 8.5 | 6.9 | – | 4.9 | – | – | 7.6 | – | 6.3 | ||
| PolitPro | 3 Feb 2026 | 16.1 | 21.3 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 5.1 | 2.4 | 5.2 |
| Politico | 29 Jan 2026 | 21 | 27 | 7 | 9 | 7 | – | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 6 | ||
| Europe Elects | 24 Jan 2026 | 22 | 29 | – | – | 9 | 6 | – | 5 | – | – | 8 | 3 | 7 | |
| 2022 parliamentary election | 24 Apr 2022 | 34.5 41 | 23.5 27 | 6.9 8 | 3.4 0 | 6.7 7 | 4.5 5 | 1.4 0 | 3.4 0 | 2.9 0 | 1.6 0 | 1.5 0 | – | – | 11 |
| Parliamentary elections | |
|---|---|
| Presidential elections | |
| European elections | |
| Local elections | |
| Referendums | |
See also:Elections in Yugoslavia | |
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
