politics
March 18, 2026
It is small, stable and a European success story. So why is Slovenia turning its back on liberalism?
Armed with Orbán’s ruthless playbook and Trump’s political style, Janez Janša would be another illiberal threat to the EU if he wins on 22 March
TL;DR
- Slovenia is holding parliamentary elections on March 22nd.
- The outgoing coalition, led by PM Robert Golob's Freedom Movement, has achieved successes like flood assistance and energy crisis mitigation.
- The Freedom Movement government has been criticized for inexperience but is described as flawed, not illiberal.
- Public support for Golob's party has declined, with the hard-right SDS consistently leading in polls.
- The SDS, led by Janez Janša, has a history of polarizing governance, including attacks on media and institutions.
- Janša's political style and the broader European political environment, influenced by figures like Trump, are contributing to concerns about illiberalism.
- The election is framed as a structural choice between flawed pluralism and a model that could erode democratic norms.
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