LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) 鈥� parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small country that was previously run by a liberal government.
Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.
Jansa’s appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob’s Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.
Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the pandemic.
The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister , who was last month.
Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.
Critical of the previous government’s alleged 鈥渋nefficiency,” Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into 鈥渁 country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted.”
Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.
Golob in his speech described Jansa as 鈥渢he greatest threat to 厂濒辞惫别苍颈补鈥檚 sovereignty and democracy.”
Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa’s “idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.鈥�
Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government’s 2024
The vote on March 22 was marred by and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.
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