June 4 (SeeNews) - The Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) led by former prime minister Janez Jansa has won Sunday's early general election, with newcomer List of Marjan Sarec (LMS) in second place, the election commission has revealed citing almost final results.
With 99.89% of the votes counted, SDS leads with 24.96%, LMS has 12.66%, the Social Democrats (SD) 9.92% and the Modern Center Party (SMC) of caretaker prime minister Miro Cerar 9.75%, according to the results posted on the website of the election commission.
Cerar resigned in March, after the Supreme Court annulled the outcome of last year’s referendum which backed the upgrade of the Divaca–Koper railway - his government’s biggest investment project. Cerar's cabinet has since carried on in a caretaker role. In April, Slovenia's president Borut Pahor called early parliamentary elections for June 3.
Left collected 9.29% of the votes, New Slovenia - Christian Democrats (NSi) 7.13%, Alenka Bratusek Party (SAB) 5.12%, the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) 4.91%, the Slovenian National Party (SNS) 4.20%, while two seats are secured for MPs representing the Italian and Hungarian minorities.
According to the results SDS will have 25 seats in parliament, while LMS will occupy 13, SD 10, SMC 10, Left 9, NSi 7, SAB 5, DeSUS 5 and SNS 4.
Prior to the elections all parties but NSi and SNS said they refuse to work with SDS, hence forming a majority is expected to be tricky. Local media are suggesting hinting that the left-leaning parties could have an easier time forming a government, which news agency STA predicts could be led by Marjan Sarec.
Voter turnout was 51.97%.
Slovenia's 90-member National Assembly is elected for a four-year term through the proportional representation system, with a 4.0% entry threshold. Eight constituencies are formed for the election of members of the National Assembly. Each constituency elects 11 deputies. Each constituency is divided into 11 districts.
The country of two million people joined the EU in 2004 and became the 13th member of the Eurozone in January 2007.
Slovenia gained independence from the former Yugoslav Federation in 1991.