The Slovenian People's Party (SLS) on Monday withdrew from the Prime Minister Janez Jansa's ruling coalition as it had announced, leaving the government with the support of only one-third of lawmakers and half the ministers in the cabinet compared to a year ago when coming into power.
"As of this day, the party is leaving the coalition and will now be a constructive Opposition", SLS leader Radovan Zerjav told a press conference. Consequently, the party's two ministers also left the incumbent cabinet. Zerjav vacated his position as the country's economy and technology minister and Franc Bogovic quitted the post of agriculture and physical planning minister.
SLS is the third party to abandon the government preceded by the Civic List (GL) headed by Gregor Virant and by the Democratic Party of Pensioners (DESUS) of the the outgoing Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec.
All three parties decided on this step after Jansa refused to resign and nominate a new premier and in that way keep the coalition government intact after an anti-corruption commission established that Jansa had failed to report EUR 200,000 in assets on his assets record. Jansa has denied the allegations, accusing his opponents of attempts to politically discredit him.
Two of these parties support the idea of appointing an interim government to be headed by Alenka Bratusek of the strongest Opposition party, the Positive Slovenia (PS), which would remove the risk of early elections. These parties would be interested in going into coalition with PS if Bratusek is appointed as PM designate by lawmakers on Wednesday. Bratusek's appointment requires at lest 46 votes in her favour and after that she would be tasked with proposing a new cabinet. Bratusek's PS has 28 MPs in the 90-seat parliament.
