Outgoing Prime Minister Robert Golob claimed victory in Slovenia’s parliamentary elections on Sunday evening, despite the allegations of spyware use against his campaign.
According to near-final results from the electoral commission, his Freedom Movement secured a narrow lead over the right-wing conservative SDS party led by former Prime Minister Janez Jansa.
Golob’s party garnered 28.6% of the vote, compared to 28% for the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) led by the right-wing populist Jansa. The Prime Minister’s party secured 29 seats, whilst his pro-Trump challenger’s party fell short at 28 seats.
Polls had previously tipped Jansa as the favourite. The former prime minister is regarded as a loyal ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and as a potential troublemaker within the European Union.
Jansa suggested that he intends to contest his narrow defeat. "We are going to recount every vote in every polling station," he said, according to the STA news agency.
The 59-year-old Golob took over the premiership in 2022 from Jansa, who served as prime minister three times between 2004 and 2022. Under Golob’s administration, same-sex marriage was legalised, and the Slovenian government accused Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip.
However, Golob’s current coalition – comprising the Social Democrats of SD and the left-wing party Levica – is set to lose its majority in parliament.
"It was really exciting. Everyone who voted, you have cast your vote for democracy, not just for the Freedom Movement," Golob declared. During his next term in office, he wants "a better future for everyone".
Almost 70% of Slovenian voters cast their ballots on Sunday.
Spying scandal
The election was also marred by accusations of foreign interference. The Slovenian prime minister asked the EU to look into "foreign services" interfering in Sunday's parliamentary election.
It came after reports that an Israeli private spy firm visited the main opposition contender, conservative populist and former prime minister Janez Janša, on December 22 in Ljubljana.
Several videos were published to harm the incumbent Prime Minister's campaign, believed to be linked to Israeli spyware firm Black Cube and Jansa’s party.
A win by pro-Israeli Janša would have likely changed Slovenia's policies regarding the Middle East, as the liberal Freedom Movement party of incumbent Golob has been a vocal supporter of calling out abuses against Palestinians.
A Slovenian intelligence service spokesman told Euractiv that interference by a private intelligence agency in the run-up to a parliamentary election may constitute "a threat to national security."
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