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Social Democrats (Slovenia)
Encyclopedia
The Social Democrats is a centre-left
political party
in Slovenia
, currently led by Borut Pahor
. From 1993 until 2005, the party was known as the United List of Social Democrats .
decided to renounce the absolute monopoly over political, social and economic life in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
, and agreed to introduce a system of political pluralism. In January 1990, the Slovenian Communists left the League of Communists of Yugoslavia
and renamed themselves to Party of Democratic Renewal . Former prominent Communist politician Ciril Ribičič
was elected as the party's new president. The party lost against the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia
(DEMOS) coalition at the first democratic elections in Slovenia in April 1990, gaining 17.3% of the popular vote. They nevertheless became the single largest party in Slovenia.
Between 1990 and 1992, the party remained in opposition against the centre-right
coalition government of Lojze Peterle
. After the fall of Peterle's cabinet in 1992, the party entered the first coalition government of Janez Drnovšek
, formed by the left wing of the dissolved DEMOS coalition (the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia
, the Democratic Party of Slovenia
and the Greens of Slovenia
). The same year, the party was renamed to Social Democratic Renewal , maintaining the same acronym, SDP.
-oriented political parties and groups on an electoral coalition. Thus just prior the parliamentary election of 1992
, an agreement was reached between the Social Democratic Renewal (SDP) and three smaller extra-parliamentary cenre-left and left-wing parties (the Social Democratic Union, the Workers' Party of Slovenia and the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
) to form an electoral coalition under the name United List. The newly formed coalition gained 13.6% of the popular vote, thus becoming the third political force in the country, after Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
and the Slovene Christian Democrats
. These three largest parties decided to form a government coalition, which soon became popularly known as the "grand coalition" , under the leadership of Liberal Democrat Prime Minister
Janez Drnovšek. Until March 1994, the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia also participated in this government coalition.
On 29 May 1993, a congress
was held in Ljubljana
at which the constitutive members of the United List decided to form a unified party. The new party was named United List of Social Democrats and Janez Kocijančič was elected as its president. The party remained in government until January 1996, when it left the ruling coalition in disagreement over the government's social welfare
policies. Furthermore, several prominent members exited the party and re-established Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia. In the general elections of 1996, the United List of Social Democrats suffered a substantial loss support, gaining only around 9% of the popular vote.
, was elected. A gradual evolution towards more moderate positions started. In the election of 2000, the party rose to 12% of the vote and entered the centre-left coalition government led by Janez Drnovšek, while the party's president Borut Pahor was elected chairman of the Slovenian National Assembly. In the general elections of 2004, the party gained around 10.2% of the vote and went into opposition against the centre-right government dominated by the liberal-conservative
Slovenian Democratic Party
.
In the fifth party Congress held in 2005 in Ljubljana
, the decision was taken to shorten the party name to Social Democrats. Borut Pahor was confirmed as the party president, strengthening his positions against internal opposition from the left wing of the party. In the programmatic congress held in Nova Gorica
in July 2006, the party clearly distanciated itself against its communist
past, while its president publicly condemned the Communist dictatorship in Slovenia and Yugoslavia established after World War II
.
. In 2007, several prominent members of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, including former Prime Minister Anton Rop
, left their party and joined the Social Democrats. Following these developments, the Social Democrats became the second largest parliamentary party in Slovenia, after the Slovenian Democratic Party.
In 2008, the Social Democrats signed a coalition agreement with the extra-parliamentary Christian Socialists of Slovenia, and decided to set up a common election list on the coming elections.
In September 2008, Social Democrats won the parliamentary election with 30.45%. The ruling Slovenian Democratic Party finished second with 29.26%. Social Democrats formed a new Slovenian government in coalition with Zares
, DeSUS
and LDS. They won 29 seats in the 90-member National Assembly, one of which was won by Andrej Magajna, the president of the Christian Socialists of Slovenia. In October 2010, Andrej Magajna left the deputy group of Social Democrats due to differences of opinion with the rest of the group. He especially criticised the party leader Borut Pahor and the Minister of Economic Development Mitja Gaspari
, claiming that he had been threatened with "removal" for not having supported the new act on the public broadcaster
RTV Slovenija
. After Magajna's break with the party, the SD parliamentary group was left with 28 MPs.
in New York
, United List became full member party of Socialist International as the only social-democratic
party from Slovenia. The Social Democrats are also members of the Party of European Socialists
(PES). Since 16 May 2003, the SD is a full member party of the PES.
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
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...
, currently led by Borut Pahor
Borut Pahor
Borut Pahor is a Slovenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2008. A longtime president of the Social Democrats party, Pahor served several terms as a member of the National Assembly and was its chairman from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, Pahor was elected as member of the European...
. From 1993 until 2005, the party was known as the United List of Social Democrats .
Origins
The origins of the current party date from the end of 1989, when the League of Communists of SloveniaLeague of Communists of Slovenia
The League of Communists of Slovenia was the Slovenian branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, the sole legal party of Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1989...
decided to renounce the absolute monopoly over political, social and economic life in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Socialist Republic of Slovenia
The Socialist Republic of Slovenia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1943 until 1990...
, and agreed to introduce a system of political pluralism. In January 1990, the Slovenian Communists left the League of Communists of Yugoslavia
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
League of Communists of Yugoslavia , before 1952 the Communist Party of Yugoslavia League of Communists of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Savez komunista Jugoslavije/Савез комуниста Југославије, Slovene: Zveza komunistov Jugoslavije, Macedonian: Сојуз на комунистите на Југославија, Sojuz na...
and renamed themselves to Party of Democratic Renewal . Former prominent Communist politician Ciril Ribičič
Ciril Ribičič
Ciril Ribičič is a Slovenian jurist, politician and author. Since 2000, he has served as member of the Constitutional Court of Slovenia....
was elected as the party's new president. The party lost against the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia
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...
(DEMOS) coalition at the first democratic elections in Slovenia in April 1990, gaining 17.3% of the popular vote. They nevertheless became the single largest party in Slovenia.
Between 1990 and 1992, the party remained in opposition against the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
coalition government of Lojze Peterle
Lojze 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...
. After the fall of Peterle's cabinet in 1992, the party entered the first 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...
, formed by the left wing of the dissolved DEMOS coalition (the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia
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...
, the Democratic Party of Slovenia
Democratic Party of Slovenia
The 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...
and the Greens of Slovenia
Greens of Slovenia
The Greens of Slovenia is a political party in Slovenia.At the parliamentary election in September 2008, the party won no seats.-External links:*...
). The same year, the party was renamed to Social Democratic Renewal , maintaining the same acronym, SDP.
Constitution of the United List
Prior to the 1992 general election intensive discussions were held and agreements reached between leftLeft-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
-oriented political parties and groups on an electoral coalition. Thus just prior the parliamentary election of 1992
Slovenian parliamentary election, 1992
Parliamentary elections were held in Slovenia on 6 and 10 December 1992. The result was a victory for Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, which won 22 of the 90 seats. Party leader Janez Drnovsek was re-elected Prime Minister by the Parliament on 12 January 1993....
, an agreement was reached between the Social Democratic Renewal (SDP) and three smaller extra-parliamentary cenre-left and left-wing parties (the Social Democratic Union, the Workers' Party of Slovenia and the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
The Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia is a Slovenian political party led by Karl Erjavec.DeSUS was a member of the government led by prime minister Janez Janša until 2008...
) to form an electoral coalition under the name United List. The newly formed coalition gained 13.6% of the popular vote, thus becoming the third political force in the country, after 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...
and 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...
. These three largest parties decided to form a government coalition, which soon became popularly known as the "grand coalition" , under the leadership of Liberal Democrat Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Slovenia
There have been six Prime Ministers of Slovenia since that country gained its independence in the breakup of Yugoslavia. Unlike the President of Slovenia, who is directly elected, the Prime Minister is appointed by the National Assembly, and must control a majority there in order to...
Janez Drnovšek. Until March 1994, the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia also participated in this government coalition.
On 29 May 1993, a congress
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different nations, constituent states, independent organizations , or groups....
was held in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
at which the constitutive members of the United List decided to form a unified party. The new party was named United List of Social Democrats and Janez Kocijančič was elected as its president. The party remained in government until January 1996, when it left the ruling coalition in disagreement over the government's social welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
policies. Furthermore, several prominent members exited the party and re-established Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia. In the general elections of 1996, the United List of Social Democrats suffered a substantial loss support, gaining only around 9% of the popular vote.
The Pahor era
In the period between 1996 and 2000, the party remained in opposition. On the third National Congress of the United List of Social Democrats in 1997 a new party president, Borut PahorBorut Pahor
Borut Pahor is a Slovenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2008. A longtime president of the Social Democrats party, Pahor served several terms as a member of the National Assembly and was its chairman from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, Pahor was elected as member of the European...
, was elected. A gradual evolution towards more moderate positions started. In the election of 2000, the party rose to 12% of the vote and entered the centre-left coalition government led by Janez Drnovšek, while the party's president Borut Pahor was elected chairman of the Slovenian National Assembly. In the general elections of 2004, the party gained around 10.2% of the vote and went into opposition against the centre-right government dominated by the liberal-conservative
Liberal conservatism
Liberal conservatism also known as progressive conservatism is a variant of political conservatism which incorporates liberal elements. As "conservatism" and "liberalism" have had different meanings over time and across countries, the term "liberal conservatism" has been used in quite different...
Slovenian Democratic Party
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...
.
In the fifth party Congress held in 2005 in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, the decision was taken to shorten the party name to Social Democrats. Borut Pahor was confirmed as the party president, strengthening his positions against internal opposition from the left wing of the party. In the programmatic congress held in Nova Gorica
Nova Gorica
Nova Gorica ; 21,082 ; 31,000 ) is a town and a municipality in western Slovenia, on the border with Italy...
in July 2006, the party clearly distanciated itself against its communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
past, while its president publicly condemned the Communist dictatorship in Slovenia and Yugoslavia established after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Going to the top
After the internal crisis in the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS) following the loss of election in 2004, which resulted in the split of the party, the Social Democrats emerged as the main centre-left opposition force against the centre-right government led by Janez JanšaJanez Janša
Janez Janša is a Slovenian politician who was Prime Minister of Slovenia from November 2004 to November 2008. He has also been President of the Slovenian Democratic Party since 1993...
. In 2007, several prominent members of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, including former Prime Minister Anton Rop
Anton Rop
Anton Rop is a Slovenian politician. He is currently a member of the National Assembly of Slovenia. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Slovenia, from 2002 to 2004. Until 2005 he was also the president of the Liberal Democratic Party , the legal successor of the Slovenian Association of Socialist...
, left their party and joined the Social Democrats. Following these developments, the Social Democrats became the second largest parliamentary party in Slovenia, after the Slovenian Democratic Party.
In 2008, the Social Democrats signed a coalition agreement with the extra-parliamentary Christian Socialists of Slovenia, and decided to set up a common election list on the coming elections.
In September 2008, Social Democrats won the parliamentary election with 30.45%. The ruling Slovenian Democratic Party finished second with 29.26%. Social Democrats formed a new Slovenian government in coalition with Zares
Zares
Zares – Social Liberals is a social-liberal political party in Slovenia. Its president is Gregor Golobič, former Secretary General of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia and former close advisor to the late Janez Drnovšek, who had previously abandoned active political involvement due to...
, DeSUS
Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia
The Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia is a Slovenian political party led by Karl Erjavec.DeSUS was a member of the government led by prime minister Janez Janša until 2008...
and LDS. They won 29 seats in the 90-member National Assembly, one of which was won by Andrej Magajna, the president of the Christian Socialists of Slovenia. In October 2010, Andrej Magajna left the deputy group of Social Democrats due to differences of opinion with the rest of the group. He especially criticised the party leader Borut Pahor and the Minister of Economic Development Mitja Gaspari
Mitja Gaspari
Mitja Gaspari is a Slovenian economist, banker, and politician. He is currently serving as Minister for Economic Development in the centre left government of Borut Pahor....
, claiming that he had been threatened with "removal" for not having supported the new act on the public broadcaster
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
RTV Slovenija
Radiotelevizija Slovenija
Radiotelevizija Slovenija – usually abbreviated to RTV Slovenija – is Slovenia's national public broadcasting organization. Based in the country's capital, Ljubljana, it has regional broadcasting centres in Koper and Maribor and correspondents around Slovenia, Europe and the world...
. After Magajna's break with the party, the SD parliamentary group was left with 28 MPs.
International affiliations
In September 1996, at XX. Congress of the Socialist InternationalSocialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United List became full member party of Socialist International as the only social-democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
party from Slovenia. The Social Democrats are also members of the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
(PES). Since 16 May 2003, the SD is a full member party of the PES.
Presidents
- Ciril RibičičCiril RibičičCiril Ribičič is a Slovenian jurist, politician and author. Since 2000, he has served as member of the Constitutional Court of Slovenia....
, 1990–1993 - Peter Bekeš, 1993
- Janez Kocijančič, 1993–1997
- Borut PahorBorut PahorBorut Pahor is a Slovenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2008. A longtime president of the Social Democrats party, Pahor served several terms as a member of the National Assembly and was its chairman from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, Pahor was elected as member of the European...
, 1997–present
Vice presidents
- Borut PahorBorut PahorBorut Pahor is a Slovenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2008. A longtime president of the Social Democrats party, Pahor served several terms as a member of the National Assembly and was its chairman from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, Pahor was elected as member of the European...
, 1993–1997 - Aurelio JuriAurelio JuriAurelio Juri is a Slovenian politician and journalist of Italian ethnic origin. Between 2008 and 2009, he served as Member of the European Parliament. He was an influential member of the Social Democrats, before he left the party in 2009....
, 1997–2001 - Breda Pečan and Miloš Pavlica, 2001–2005
- Andreja Rihter and Igor LukšičIgor LukšičIgor Lukšič is a Slovene politologist and politician.Lukšič obtained his PhD at the University of Ljubljana in 1993. He started his academic career as a Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana in 1986...
, 2005–2009 - Alenka Kovšca, Majda Potrata, Miran Potrč and Patrick Vlačič, 2009–present
Other prominent members
- Aurelio JuriAurelio JuriAurelio Juri is a Slovenian politician and journalist of Italian ethnic origin. Between 2008 and 2009, he served as Member of the European Parliament. He was an influential member of the Social Democrats, before he left the party in 2009....
(former member) - Feri HorvatFeri HorvatFeri Horvat is a Slovenian manager and politician, and one of the founders of the United List of Social Democrats, now known as the Social Democrats...
- Igor LukšičIgor LukšičIgor Lukšič is a Slovene politologist and politician.Lukšič obtained his PhD at the University of Ljubljana in 1993. He started his academic career as a Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana in 1986...
- Miran Potrč
- Franci Križanič
- Patrick Vlačič