Slovenian People's Party
Encyclopedia
The Slovenian People's Party is a rural-based conservative
political party
in Slovenia
. Formed in 1988 under the name of Slovenian Peasant Union as the first non-Communist political organization in Yugoslavia, it merged with the Slovene Christian Democrats to form the present-day party in 2000. Since 2009, it has been led by Radovan Žerjav
.
after 1945. The establishment of the Slovenian Peasant Union is frequently considered as one of the crucial events in the Slovenian Spring of 1988. In January 2011 it could register as a party. In the first multi-party election
in Slovenia, the Peasant Union ran as a part of the centre-right DEMOS coalition
and won 11 of the 80 seats in the Slovenian Parliament. The party's name was changed to the current form in 1991, alluding to the pre-war Catholic conservative Slovene People's Party
.
In the 1990s, the Slovenian People's Party pursued an agrarian
, ethnonationalist
and corporatist
ideology. In late 1995, representatives of the People's Party called for a referendum to suspend the citizenship of non-ethnic Slovenes. The attempt was stopped by the Constitutional Court.
Ahead of the parliamentary election of 1996
, the People's Party formed the Slovenian Spring alliance together with the Slovene Christian Democrats
(SKD), that referred to the historical Slovenian People's Party, as well. However the alliance, was disbanded immediately after the elections, when the SLS joined a coalition government with the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
(LDS), while the SKD went into opposition. In April 2000, strains between SLS and the Liberal Democrats led to the former's withdrawal from the coalition. In early May, SLS, SKD and SDS
elected Christian democrat Andrej Bajuk
prime minister instead.
, and other centrist Christian democrats left the unified party to form New Slovenia
– Christian People's Party (NSi) in August. The remaining rump performed poorly in the election in October 2000
, but became part of the Liberal-led coalition government of Janez Drnovšek
.
on 3 October 2004, the party won 6.8% of the popular vote and 7 out of 90 seats. In the 2008 election
the SLS ran a joint list with the Youth Party of Slovenia
. The joint list secured only 5 seats and 5.2% of the vote, a loss of 2 compared to the results of the SLS in 2004.
SLS is a member of the European People's Party
(EPP).
Parliamentary representation:
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
political party
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...
in Slovenia
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...
. Formed in 1988 under the name of Slovenian Peasant Union as the first non-Communist political organization in Yugoslavia, it merged with the Slovene Christian Democrats to form the present-day party in 2000. Since 2009, it has been led by Radovan Žerjav
Radovan Žerjav
Radovan Žerjav is a Slovenian conservative politician. Between 2007 and 2008 he served as Minister of Transport. Since 2009, he has been the Chairman of the Slovenian People's Party....
.
Establishment and early years
The Slovenian People's Party was established in May 1988 under the name of Slovenian Peasant Union (Slovenska kmečka zveza) as the first openly non-Communist political organization in Slovenia and YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
after 1945. The establishment of the Slovenian Peasant Union is frequently considered as one of the crucial events in the Slovenian Spring of 1988. In January 2011 it could register as a party. In the first multi-party election
Slovenian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia in 1990. The United List of Social Democrats emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly, winning 12 of the 80 seats.-Results:...
in Slovenia, the Peasant Union ran as a part of the centre-right DEMOS coalition
Democratic Opposition of Slovenia
Democratic Opposition of Slovenia, also known as the DEMOS coalition was a coalition of democratic political parties, created by an agreement between the Slovenian Democratic Union, the Social Democrat Alliance of Slovenia, the Slovene Christian Democrats, the Farmers' Alliance and the Greens of...
and won 11 of the 80 seats in the Slovenian Parliament. The party's name was changed to the current form in 1991, alluding to the pre-war Catholic conservative Slovene People's Party
Slovene People's Party (historical)
The Slovene People's Party was a Slovenian political party in the 19th and 20th centuries, active in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Between 1907 and 1941, it was the largest and arguably the most influential political party in the Slovene Lands...
.
In the 1990s, the Slovenian People's Party pursued an agrarian
Agrarianism
Agrarianism has two common meanings. The first meaning refers to a social philosophy or political philosophy which values rural society as superior to urban society, the independent farmer as superior to the paid worker, and sees farming as a way of life that can shape the ideal social values...
, ethnonationalist
Ethnic nationalism
Ethnic nationalism is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. Whatever specific ethnicity is involved, ethnic nationalism always includes some element of descent from previous generations and the implied claim of ethnic essentialism, i.e...
and corporatist
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
ideology. In late 1995, representatives of the People's Party called for a referendum to suspend the citizenship of non-ethnic Slovenes. The attempt was stopped by the Constitutional Court.
Ahead of the parliamentary election of 1996
Slovenian parliamentary election, 1996
Parliamentary elections were held in Slovenia on 10 December 1996. The result was a victory for Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, which won 25 of the 90 seats. Party leader Janez Drnovsek was re-elected Prime Minister by the Parliament on 9 January 1997....
, the People's Party formed the Slovenian Spring alliance together with the Slovene Christian Democrats
Slovene Christian Democrats
The Slovene Christian Democrats was a Christian Democrat political party in Slovenia between 1989 and 2000.It was founded as the Slovene Christian Social Movement in March of 1989. Its first president was Peter Kovačič Peršin...
(SKD), that referred to the historical Slovenian People's Party, as well. However the alliance, was disbanded immediately after the elections, when the SLS joined a coalition government with 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...
(LDS), while the SKD went into opposition. In April 2000, strains between SLS and the Liberal Democrats led to the former's withdrawal from the coalition. In early May, SLS, SKD and SDS
Slovenian Democratic Party
The Slovenian Democratic Party , known until 2003 as the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-right liberal conservative and Christian democratic party...
elected Christian democrat Andrej Bajuk
Andrej Bajuk
Andrej Bajuk, also known in Spanish as Andrés Bajuk was a Slovene politician and economist. He served shortly as Prime Minister of Slovenia in the year 2000, and Minister of Economy in the centre right government of Janez Janša between 2004 and 2008...
prime minister instead.
Merger
In mid 2000, the Slovene Christian Democrats merged into the Slovenian People's Party, and the abbreviation was temorarily changed to SLS+SKD to signify both predecessors. However, as early as in July of the same year rifts emerged, based on the question of a new electoral system. Therefore Prime Minister Bajuk, Lojze PeterleLojze Peterle
Alojz "Lojze" Peterle is a Slovenian politician. He was the leader of the Slovene Christian Democrats from the founding of the party in 1990 until it merged with the Slovenian People's Party in 2000. Between 1990 and 1992, he was the president of the first freely elected Slovenian government, and...
, and other centrist Christian democrats left the unified party to form New Slovenia
New Slovenia
The New Slovenia – Christian People's Party or simply New Slovenia, NSi is a Christian democratic political party in Slovenia...
– Christian People's Party (NSi) in August. The remaining rump performed poorly in the election in October 2000
Slovenian parliamentary election, 2000
Parliamentary elections were held in Slovenia on 15 October 2000. The result was a victory for Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, which won 34 of the 90 seats. Following the election, Liberal Democracy leader Janez Drnovšek returned to the post of Prime Minister....
, but became part of the Liberal-led coalition government of Janez Drnovšek
Janez Drnovšek
Janez 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...
.
Electoral performance since 2004
In the legislative electionSlovenian parliamentary election, 2004
-Delegation of Socialni demokrati [United List of Social Democrats]:-Delegation of Liberalna demokracija Slovenije [Liberal Democracy of Slovenia]:-Delegation of Nova Slovenija [New Slovenia]:...
on 3 October 2004, the party won 6.8% of the popular vote and 7 out of 90 seats. In the 2008 election
Slovenian parliamentary election, 2008
Parliamentary elections for the 90 deputies to the National Assembly of Slovenia were held on 21 September 2008. 17 parties filed to run in the election, including all nine parliamentary parties...
the SLS ran a joint list with the Youth Party of Slovenia
Youth Party of Slovenia
The Youth Party – European Greens is a green political party in Slovenia. It is led by Darko Krajnc. Until July 2009, it was called Youth Party of Slovenia ....
. The joint list secured only 5 seats and 5.2% of the vote, a loss of 2 compared to the results of the SLS in 2004.
SLS is a member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
(EPP).
Parliamentary representation:
Presidents of the party
- Ivan Oman (1988–1992)
- Marjan Podobnik (1992–2000)
- Franc Zagožen (2000–2001)
- Franci But (2001–2003)
- Janez PodobnikJanez PodobnikJanez Podobnik is a Slovenian conservative politician.He was born in the small town of Cerkno in western Slovenia, in what was then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He studied medicine at the University of Ljubljana, where he graduated in 1984...
(2003–2008) - Bojan Šrot (2008–2009)
- Radovan ŽerjavRadovan ŽerjavRadovan Žerjav is a Slovenian conservative politician. Between 2007 and 2008 he served as Minister of Transport. Since 2009, he has been the Chairman of the Slovenian People's Party....
(2009-current)