Slovenian PM steps down
Marjan Šarec, Prime Minister of Slovenia since 2018, announced his resignation on Monday and at the same time called for early elections. The move was prompted by the minority government's inability to implement important legislative proposals, Šarec said. Slovenia's media are not happy.
Will this strategy work?
The prime minister has made a number of mistakes in resigning, writes Dnevnik:
“One is that he failed to inform the coalition partners of his decision in advance, and thus proved that the accusations that he was arrogant and belittled his coalition partners were justified. Šarec has also angered his own partners with such behaviour, and this is not completely irrelevant for the formation of a government after the election if Šarec's strategy succeeds. ... Moreover, the reasons given for not continuing as head of government were not really convincing. Whether the resignation is worthwhile for Šarec will depend on whether the public blames other political actors for the end of the government or believes that Šarec is just trying save his own political career.”
Chances of veteran making comeback increase
Šarec's resignation makes it more likely that former prime minister Janez Janša will make a comeback, Večer observes:
“The anti-Janša glue has lost its adhesiveness and the need to survive in politics is great. Today's political fragmentation limits the elbow-room for new coalitions, at least for stable ones. So for the moment early elections seem very likely, but there are other scenarios. The ball is now in Janez Janša's court regarding new elections or a new government. He can assess which is more worthwhile. ... As so often, Šarec is relying on his success at the polls and his popularity. ... But this operation, which he launched into without clarifying the potential alliances, will also be a big gamble for him.”