Liberalism in Slovenia
Encyclopedia
This article gives an overview of liberalism in Slovenia
. It is limited to liberal
parties
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.
. Their organized liberalism became a major political force. The Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
(Liberalna demokracija Slovenije, becomes a member of the LI
and the ELDR) and profiles itself as a left of center liberal party. Others argue that there have been no liberal parties in Slovenia since independence in 1991. They say that claims of the former communist youth (ZSMS) and LDS that they represent liberal parties with liberal doctrines are political propaganda and that facts demonstrate that both ZSMS and LDS followed socialist and anti liberal policies.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It is limited to liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.
History
After the independence of Slovenia former young socialists claim to have restarted the liberal tradition of former Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. Their organized liberalism became a major political force. The Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
(Liberalna demokracija Slovenije, becomes a member of the LI
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
and the ELDR) and profiles itself as a left of center liberal party. Others argue that there have been no liberal parties in Slovenia since independence in 1991. They say that claims of the former communist youth (ZSMS) and LDS that they represent liberal parties with liberal doctrines are political propaganda and that facts demonstrate that both ZSMS and LDS followed socialist and anti liberal policies.
From National Party of Carniola to Democratic Party
- 1894: Ivan TavčarIvan TavcarIvan Tavčar was a Slovene and Yugoslav writer, lawyer, and politician.- Biography :Tavčar was born into a poor peasant family of Janez and Neža née Perko in the Carniolan village of Poljane near Škofja Loka in what was then the Austrian Empire and is now in Slovenia. It has never been entirely...
led the Young Slovenes to establish the National Party of Carniola (Narodna stranka za Krajnsko). In GoriziaGoriziaGorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
related groups formed the National Progressive Party in 1900 - 1905: The CarniolaCarniolaCarniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
n party is renamed National Progressive PartyNational Progressive Party (Slovenia)The National Progressive Party was a political party in the Carniola region of Austria-Hungary. It was established in 1894 by Ivan Tavčar as the National Party of Carniola and renamed in 1905 to The National Progressive Party...
(Narodno napredna stranka). In Upper Styria related groups formed the National Party of Styria (Narodna stranka za Štajersko) - 1918: The three party merged into the Yugoslav Democratic Party (Jugoslovanska demokratska stranka)
- 1919: The party merged with Serbian and Croatian into the pan-YugoslavYugoslaviaYugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
more or less liberal State Party of Serbian, Croatian and Slovene Democrats (Državnotvorna stranka demokrata Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca). Some of the Slovene liberals did not join JDS and founded Independent Agrarian Party (Samostojna kmetijska stranka) and National-Socialist Party (Narodno-socialistična stranka). Except the name, the latter did not have much in common with German Nazis and could have been described as a social liberal party. - 1919: The party is renamed into the Democratic CommunityDemocratic Party (Yugoslavia)The Yugoslav Democratic Party, State Party of Serbian, Croatian and Slovene Democrats and Democratic Party was the name of a series of social-liberal political parties that existed in succession in the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and the Kingdom...
(Demokratska zajednica) - 1920: The party is renamed into the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (Yugoslavia)The Yugoslav Democratic Party, State Party of Serbian, Croatian and Slovene Democrats and Democratic Party was the name of a series of social-liberal political parties that existed in succession in the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and the Kingdom...
(Demokratska stranka). Leader is Ljubomir DavidovićLjubomir DavidovicLjubomir Davidović was a prime minister of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.Davidović was born in Vlaško Polje.... - 1924: A faction, including the majority of prominent Slovene liberals formed the Independent Democratic PartyIndependent Democratic Party (Yugoslavia)The Independent Democratic Party was a social liberal political party in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It was established by Svetozar Pribićević as a breakaway faction of the Democratic Party in 1924...
, mainly active in CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Bosnia, VojvodinaVojvodinaVojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
and Slovenia - 1929: After the royal coup, all parties were banned.
- 1931: Slovene liberals leaders joined the government party (Yugoslav Radical-peasant Democracy - Jugoslovenska radikalno-kmečka demokracija), from 1934 Yugoslav National Party (Jugoslovenska nacionalna stranka). *1935-1941: JNS was in opposition.
- 1941-1945: Following the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, political parties were dissolved but continued activities in underground. Facing the communist insurgence, Slovene liberals co-founded the underground national organization Slovene Convenant (Slovenska zaveza).
- 1945: All democratic parties were dissolved and banned.
From ZSMS-Liberal Party to Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
- 1989: The Socialist Youth League of Slovenia (abbreviated ZSMS) changes its name into Za Svobodo Mislecega Sveta (For the Freedom of a Thinking World) and is shortly after reorganised into the Liberal PartyLiberal Democracy of SloveniaLiberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
(ZSMS - Liberalna stranka) - 1990: The party is renamed into the Liberal Democratic PartyLiberal Democracy of SloveniaLiberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
(Liberalno demokratska stranka) - 1994: The party merged with the ⇒ Democratic Party, a faction of the Slovenian Greens and the Socialist Party of SloveniaSocialist Party of SloveniaThe Socialist Party of Slovenia was a political party in Slovenia. It was founded in 1990, as the successor of the Socialist Union of Working People of Slovenia . The founding conference of the party was held in Ljubjana on June 9, 1990...
into the Liberal Democracy of SloveniaLiberal Democracy of SloveniaLiberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
(Liberalna demokracija Slovenije), led by Janez DrnovšekJanez DrnovšekJanez Drnovšek was a Slovenian liberal politician, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Prime Minister of Slovenia and President of Slovenia . He was born in Celje, Slovenia, then the Socialist Republic of Slovenia...
From Slovenian Democratic League to Democratic Party
- 1989: Oppositionals established the Slovenian Democratic LeagueSlovenian Democratic UnionThe Slovenian Democratic Union was a Slovenian liberal political party, active between 1989 and 1991, during the democratization and the secession of the Republic of Slovenia from Yugoslavia....
(Slovenska demokratična zveza) - 1991: The party is renamed Democratic Party (Demokratska Stranka), led by Dimitrij RupelDimitrij RupelDimitrij Rupel is a Slovenian politician.- Biography :Rupel was born in Ljubljana, in what was then the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, into a bourgeois family of former anti-fascist political emigrants from the Julian March .After receiving a bachelor's degree in comparative literature and...
- 1994: Most of the party merged into the ⇒ Liberal Democracy of Slovenia. A faction continued under the label Democratic Party of SloveniaDemocratic Party of SloveniaThe Democratic Party of Slovenia is an extra-parliamentary centrist political party in Slovenia. It was established in March 1994, when the majority of the then existing Democratic Party led by Dimitrij Rupel joined the ruling Liberal Democracy of Slovenia...
(Demokratska stranka Slovenije)
See also
- Free Society Institute
- History of SloveniaHistory of SloveniaThe history of Slovenia chronicles the period of the Slovene territory from the 5th Century BC to the present times. In the Early Bronze Age, Proto-Illyrian tribes settled an area stretching from present-day Albania to the city of Trieste. The Holy Roman Empire controlled the land for nearly 1,000...
- Politics of SloveniaPolitics of SloveniaThe politics of Slovenia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Slovenia is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Government of Slovenia. Legislative power is vested in the...
- List of political parties in Slovenia