- Title: 'Negotiations will be hard' Slovenia's PM says after election tie
- Date: 22nd March 2026
- Summary: ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF GOLOB ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Slovenian) LIBERAL PRIME MINISTER, ROBERT GOLOB, SAYING: "We all deserve a path to the future, no matter which party we voted for, no matter which god we pray to, we all deserve a better future. I say it here and now that we will, in the next mandate, do everything we can so that the future w
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- Keywords: Freedom MOvement SDS Slovenia election parliament prime minister
- Location: LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
- City: LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
- Country: Slovenia
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA002638622032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Slovenia's Ruling Freedom Movement and the opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) were tied in Sunday's (March 22) parliamentary vote, according to a state election commission preliminary result based on 99.2% of the votes counted.
With most votes counted, neither party, even with its existing coalition partners, looked likely to secure the 46 seats needed for a majority in the 90‑seat parliament, making smaller parties that cross the 4% threshold potential kingmakers.
Liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob said the path ahead would be difficult while speaking to supporters at his party's election night event.
"Negotiations (on coalition) will be hard, I hear this tonight all the time," Golob said from the stage, adding that certain principles would remain non-negotiable in any coalition talks.
"There is one thing which is not negotiable: our sovereignty. We will not allow foreigners to govern us!" he said.
Both camps have said the elections would determine a future path for Slovenia. Under Golob, the country has pursued a liberal, pro-European democracy focused on social reforms, and a foreign policy aligned with European countries that supported an independent Palestinian state and imposed an arms embargo on Israel.
Jansa wants to introduce tax breaks for businesses and cut funding for NGOs, welfare and media. He is also an ally of Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban and a great supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, meaning a shift in the country's international alignment.
(Production: Fatos Bytyci, Gasper Lubej, Malgorzata Wojtunik) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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