Zares
Encyclopedia
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 disagreements with his party. Today, Zares is the third largest party in Slovenia, after the Social Democrats
and the conservative Slovenian Democratic Party
.
Until October 2011, the party was called Zares - New Politics (Zares - nova politika), when the party adopted its current title.
Zares was founded in 2007 as the result of a split within the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, when 6 MPs of the National Assembly, led by former Minister of Economy Matej Lahovnik, left their original party and founded a new parliamentary group. In the 2007 presidential election
, the party supported Independent presidential candidate Danilo Türk
, who was elected President of Slovenia
.
Since 17 November 2007, Zares has been an observer member of the Liberal International
. The party supports a social progressive and economically social-democratic
agenda, strongly supports the European Union
and was a staunch opponent of the former Slovenian Prime Minister
Janez Janša
.
The party's first election
, Zares gathered 9.4% of the vote, gaining 9 parliamentary seats and became the third strongest party in Slovenia. Before the election the party allied itself with the Social Democrats
and the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia in an unofficial coalition. Zares are currently a part the centre-left government led by Social Democrats party president Borut Pahor
.
The famous Slovenian cultural theorist and philosopher Slavoj Žižek
has also voiced his support for the party, as did the prominent literary historian and philosopher Taras Kermauner
, writers Feri Lainšček
and Peter Božič
, and influential editor and journalist Bernarda Jeklin.
was involved in the so-called Ultra scandal, named after the Slovenian IT company Ultra, where Golobič was employed between 2003 and 2007. He was accused of misleading the media about his investment into that company during the campaign for the 2008 parliamentary election. According to allegations, the company had some 21 million euro of unsecured loans at the state-owned Nova Ljubljanska Banka
(NLB). When the media examined the loans, it came out that Golobič owns 10% of Ultra SUM, a Netherlands-based company which owns 70% of Ultra company. He had withheld that from the public during the 2008 general election campaign. Golobič publicly apologized for having misle d the public, but refused to resign as the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology. Since the scandal, the popularity of the party has fallen. In July 2010, Matej Lahovnik, the minister of Economy and one of the co-founders of the party, announced he would quit the party.
Other prominent members:
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
political party 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...
. Its president is Gregor Golobič
Gregor Golobic
Gregor Golobič is a Slovenian politician. Since 2007, he has been serving as president of the left liberal party Zares. Between November 2008 and June 2011, he served as Minister for Science and Higher Education of Slovenia....
, former Secretary General of 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...
and former close advisor to the late 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...
, who had previously abandoned active political involvement due to disagreements with his party. Today, Zares is the third largest party in Slovenia, after the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Slovenia)
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 .-Origins:...
and the conservative 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...
.
Until October 2011, the party was called Zares - New Politics (Zares - nova politika), when the party adopted its current title.
Zares was founded in 2007 as the result of a split within the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, when 6 MPs of the National Assembly, led by former Minister of Economy Matej Lahovnik, left their original party and founded a new parliamentary group. In the 2007 presidential election
Slovenian presidential election, 2007
The 2007 Slovenian presidential election was held in order to elect the successor to the second President of Slovenia Janez Drnovšek for a five-year term...
, the party supported Independent presidential candidate Danilo Türk
Danilo Türk
- Early life :Türk was born in a lower middle class family in Maribor, Slovenia . His father died when he was a child. He attended the prestigious II. Gymnasium High school in Maribor. In 1971 he enrolled to the University of Ljubljana where he studied law...
, who was elected President of Slovenia
President of Slovenia
The function of President of the Republic of Slovenia was established on 23 December 1991, when the National Assembly of Slovenia passed a new constitution as a result of independence from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
.
Since 17 November 2007, Zares has been an observer member of the Liberal International
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...
. The party supports a social progressive and economically 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...
agenda, strongly supports the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and was a staunch opponent of the former Slovenian Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Janez Janša
Janez 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...
.
The party's first 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...
, Zares gathered 9.4% of the vote, gaining 9 parliamentary seats and became the third strongest party in Slovenia. Before the election the party allied itself with the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Slovenia)
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 .-Origins:...
and the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia in an unofficial coalition. Zares are currently a part the centre-left government led by Social Democrats party president 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...
.
The famous Slovenian cultural theorist and philosopher Slavoj Žižek
Slavoj Žižek
Slavoj Žižek is a Slovenian philosopher, critical theorist working in the traditions of Hegelianism, Marxism and Lacanian psychoanalysis. He has made contributions to political theory, film theory, and theoretical psychoanalysis....
has also voiced his support for the party, as did the prominent literary historian and philosopher Taras Kermauner
Taras Kermauner
Taras Kermauner was a Slovenian literary historian, critic, philosopher, essayist, playwright and translator.- Life :...
, writers Feri Lainšček
Feri Lainšcek
Feri Lainšček is a Slovenian writer, poet, and screenwriter.-Early life:He was born as Franc Lainšček in a Slovene Lutheran family in the village of Dolenci, near Šalovci, in north-eastern Slovenia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He studied journalism at the University...
and Peter Božič
Peter Božič
Peter Božič was a Slovenian writer, playwright, journalist and politician. He is renowned for his modernist novels in which he described the horrors of World War II, and for the literary depictions of lower classes.- Life :...
, and influential editor and journalist Bernarda Jeklin.
Recent developments
In 2009, the party's president Gregor GolobičGregor Golobic
Gregor Golobič is a Slovenian politician. Since 2007, he has been serving as president of the left liberal party Zares. Between November 2008 and June 2011, he served as Minister for Science and Higher Education of Slovenia....
was involved in the so-called Ultra scandal, named after the Slovenian IT company Ultra, where Golobič was employed between 2003 and 2007. He was accused of misleading the media about his investment into that company during the campaign for the 2008 parliamentary election. According to allegations, the company had some 21 million euro of unsecured loans at the state-owned Nova Ljubljanska Banka
Nova Ljubljanska banka
Nova Ljubljanska banka is the largest bank in Slovenia. It has branches throughout Slovenia, Trieste in neighbouring Italy and subsidiary banks in Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Germany and other countries in Europe. The head office is in Ljubljana, Slovenia....
(NLB). When the media examined the loans, it came out that Golobič owns 10% of Ultra SUM, a Netherlands-based company which owns 70% of Ultra company. He had withheld that from the public during the 2008 general election campaign. Golobič publicly apologized for having misle d the public, but refused to resign as the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology. Since the scandal, the popularity of the party has fallen. In July 2010, Matej Lahovnik, the minister of Economy and one of the co-founders of the party, announced he would quit the party.
Prominent members and former members
Leaders (as of September 2010):- Gregor GolobičGregor GolobicGregor Golobič is a Slovenian politician. Since 2007, he has been serving as president of the left liberal party Zares. Between November 2008 and June 2011, he served as Minister for Science and Higher Education of Slovenia....
- president - Franco Juri - vicepresident
- Darja Radić - vicepresident
Other prominent members:
- Pavle Gantar
- Janez Kopač
- Matej Lahovnik - left the party on 5 July 2010
- Andrej Rus
- Majda ŠircaMajda ŠircaMajda Širca Ravnikar is a Slovenian art historian, journalist and politician. She is currently serving as Minister of Culture in the left-wing government of Borut Pahor....
- Vito Turk
- Ivo VajglIvo VajglIvo Vajgl is a Slovenian politician and diplomat.-Political career:Born in Maribor, he studied at the University of Ljubljana. He was appointed foreign minister by Prime Minister Anton Rop on 6 July 2004, replacing Dimitrij Rupel, who left the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia party to join the...
- Pavle Zgaga