SLOVENIA: Polls open in Slovenian presidential election

Record ID: 862906

  • Title: SLOVENIA: Polls open in Slovenian presidential election
  • Date: 11th November 2012
  • Summary: RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT AND SHOTLIST LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA ( NOVEMBER 11, 2012) (REUTERS) PRESEREN SQUARE SLOVENIAN AND EUROPEAN UNION FLAGS PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET POSTER SHOWING FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT BORUT PAHOR, BUS IN BACKGROUND PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET POSTERS IN STREET SHOWING THREE CANDIDATES - INCUMBENT PRESIDENT DANILO TUERK, CANDIDATE MILAN ZVER AND FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND CANDIDATE BORUT PAHOR - CARS PASSING BY POSTER SHOWING INCUMBENT PRESIDENT AND CANDIDATE DANILO TUERK POLLING STATION EXTERIOR WOMAN WALKING INTO POLLING STATION LEAFLET WITH VOTING PROCEDURE WOMAN REGISTERING TO VOTE HAND SIGNING VOTING PAPERS NUN CASTING BALLOT HAND CASTING BALLOT WOMAN LEAVING POLLING BOOTH AND CASTING BALLOT SLOVENIAN COAT OF ARMS ON BALLOT BOX (SOUNDBITE) (Slovenian) LJUBLJANA RESIDENT ANDREA FURLAN-SINKOVEC, SAYING: "I expect the state will remain stable and we will move forward." (SOUNDBITE) (Slovenian) LJUBLJANA RESIDENT BORIS MUZIC, SAYING: "I don't expect big changes. Political parties are in disaccord and people have so many other problems to care about than who is the president, but I think my candidate is the best option." LJUBLJANICA RIVER
  • Embargoed: 26th November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Slovenia
  • City:
  • Country: Slovenia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABBP75LNU8D1ZT1Y5PHHWDD3SN
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Voting got under way in Slovenia's presidential election on Sunday (November 11) morning, with incumbent Danilo Tuerk seeking a second five-year term.
    Polls put Tuerk ahead of the other two main candidates - former Prime Minister Borut Pahor and centre-right party leader Milan Zver - in the days leading up to the vote.
    Some early voters on the streets of Ljubjana were optimistic.
    "I expect the state will remain stable and we will move forward," said Andrea Furlan-Sinkovec.
    Others seemed to think the president could do little to solve the country's woes.
    "I don't expect big changes. Political parties are in disaccord and people have so many other problems to care about than who is the president, but I think my candidate is the best option," said Boris Muzic.
    The election, marked by remarkably low-profile campaigning, might be decided in the second round if no candidate wins more than half of the vote thi time round.
    Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2007, but is now burdened by recession, high unemployment and a rising number of non-performing loans in state-owned banks.
    The country's troubled economy has seen a major downturn since the beginning of the crisis in Europe, an issue that has been dominating the lacklustre campaign.
    One of president's duties next year will be to nominate a central bank governor who will also sit on the European Central Bank's governing council next year as the mandate of the present Governor Marko Kranjec expires in June 2013.
    The roll of president in Slovenia is mainly ceremonial.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register