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

Slovenia's parliamentary election results show a tight race between liberals and populists, signaling potential political instability ahead.

Slovenia's governing liberals and opposition right-wing populists were neck and neck after a highly contested parliamentary election on Sunday (March 22, 2026), near-complete preliminary results showed, heralding a period of political uncertainty in the small European Union country.

Prime Minister Robert Golob's centre-left Freedom Movement won 28.5% of the votes while the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party, or SDS, led by ex-premier Janez Jansa — an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump — had 28.1%, the State Election Commission said after counting some 99% of the ballots.

The practically equal result means that none of the main parties will have a majority in the 90-member parliament and that whoever will form a future government will depend on smaller parties that will act as kingmakers. It was not immediately clear what shape possible future alliances might take.

Speaking after the results were released, Mr. Golob expressed confidence his party will form the next government though he acknowledged that “tough negotiations lie ahead.” “In the next term, we will do everything we can to ensure a better future,” Mr. Golob said. “We can look forward to moving ahead, into the future, under a free sun.” Mr. Jansa predicted that “there will not be much (political) stability" after the ballot.

The vote on Sunday (March 22, 2026) was seen as a key test of whether the EU member nation stays on its liberal course or sways toward the right. The undecided outcome also reflects deep divisions among Slovenia's 1.7 million eligible voters.

Mr. Golob's government has been a strong liberal voice in the 27-nation EU. SDS leader Mr. Jansa is a populist-style politician and a close ally of nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose return to power would be a boost to Europe's right-wing blocs.