Prime Minister of Slovenia

Ljubljana – The opposition Social Democrats (SD) leadership endorsed on Tuesday Karl Erjavec, the leader of the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS), as a candidate for prime minister-designate. The SD also backed the formation of an alternative government and filing a constructive motion of no confidence in the government.

Ljubljana – Karl Erjavec, who is slated for a candidate for prime minister-designate by the informal KUL coalition, said on Monday after meeting KUL representatives that “it is clear that we also need support by the SMC party if we want a new government”. Talks with the coalition party are thus in store.

Ljubljana – After meeting representatives of the informal KUL coalition on Tuesday, Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) leader Karl Erjavec announced that a motion for a constructive vote of no-confidence in the government would be filed next week or by the end of the year. He expects that the required 46 MP votes will have been secured by then.

Ljubljana – Health Minister Tomaž Gantar resigned on Friday after his Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) decided to leave the coalition. The National Assembly took note of his resignation in the afternoon and Prime Minister Janez Janša is stepping in as interim health minister.

Ljubljana – The council of the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) voted in favour of a proposal by the party’s executive committee that DeSUS leave the current coalition and back party leader Karl Erjavec as a candidate for prime minister-designate.

The decision on the fate of the government ministers who are members of DeSUS is on Prime Minister Janez Janša, Erjavec said.

The council of the Slovenian Pensioners' Party, DeSUS, voted on Thursday to leave the right-wing coalition led by Janez Jansa of the Slovenian Democratic Party, SDS, and back new party leader Karl Erjavec as a candidate for the post of prime minister-designate.

Ljubljana – The top bodies of the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) will meet on Thursday to discuss whether or not the party should leave the coalition, party leader Karl Erjavec said on Tuesday, noting that there was pressure from the rank-and-file, dissatisfied with the government’s work.

Ljubljana – Karl Erjavec, 60, is returning to politics having won the coalition Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS) leadership contest as the party declared the results of its electoral congress on Saturday. He is starting his fifth term as DeSUS leader after defeating the only rival, Srečko Felix Krope, in a 146:71 vote.

Brdo pri Kranju – Coalition officials reviewed the implementation of the coalition agreement and discussed further steps as they met at Brdu pri Kranju on Thursday. Details were sketchy but statements after the meeting suggest there are no major differences between the partners in the ruling coalition.

The cabinet backed Lenarčič, put forward on Wednesday as an independent expert by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec without prior consultation with coalition partners, in a 13:3 vote.

It was the three ministers from the ranks of the SocDems who voted against, which is in keeping with the junior coalition party's criticism of Šarec picking Lenarčič instead of SocDem MEP Tanja Fajon.