8th National Assembly

Ljubljana – The centre-left opposition insisted Marjan Dikaučič was not fit to serve as justice minister as debate on their ouster motion in parliament focussed on legal proceedings running against him. The coalition rallied in his support nonetheless, while the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS), which will decide the vote, called on him to provide concrete answers.

Ljubljana – Marjan Dikaučič remains justice minister after 42 MPs voted in favour on Monday of a motion of no confidence tabled by five opposition deputy groups, four short of the required majority. He was endorsed by 28 MPs as several deputy groups, including the junior coalition NSi, abstained.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly will vote on Monday on a motion of no confidence in Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič, tabled by the majority of the opposition parties. The debate is scheduled to last up to 13 hours, and the outcome of the vote is uncertain.

Ljubljana – The opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left, Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) and the non-affiliated MPs, argued in the National Assembly on Friday that Education Minister Simona Kustec must go. The coalition stepped up in her defence. The Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) deputy group is still undecided.

Ljubljana – Education Minister Simona Kustec responded to criticism mounted against her in a motion of no confidence as it is being debated in parliament on Friday by presenting achievements of her ministry so far. She sees the criticism of her work coming from the left-leaning opposition as being based on “mechanisms for silencing women”.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly appointed Rok Svetlič a judge on the Constitutional Court for a nine-year term in a secret ballot on Wednesday. Svetlič received 46 votes, the minimum required to get appointed, after only 46 MPs in the 90-strong legislature picked up their ballots and all voted for him. The new judge has already been sworn in.

Ljubljana – The government approval rating slipped to its lowest point this term in the latest Barometer poll commissioned by the newspaper Delo. As many as 40% of respondents gave the cabinet a very negative grade. The gap between the ruling Democrats (SDS) and the opposition Social Democrats (SD) is narrowing.

Ljubljana – After President Borut Pahor announced he would call a general election for 24 April, this triggered varied reactions from political parties all across the political spectrum. Coalition partners largely welcomed this decision, while opposition parties mostly still favour the increasingly unlikely option of a snap election.

Ljubljana – The newspaper Delo looks at the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) in Tuesday’s front-page commentary, saying it is going “down the road of no return” and that “its one-way ticket will not take it to parliament” in the next election. There is actually no rational reason to justify the existence of single-issue parties, the paper says.

Ljubljana – The ruling Democratic Party (SDS) has recorded a rise in its support ratings of almost four percentage points compared to September, while President Borut Pahor’s popularity has comprehensively declined, shows the latest poll commissioned by the commercial broadcaster POP TV.