ALDE Party member Gibanje Svoboda has unveiled 83 candidates ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on 22 March. Prime Minister Robert Golob will lead the campaign which starts next week.
Slovenia's fragmented political scene makes this upcoming election especially relevant for liberals. Golob has spent his term as Prime Minister strengthening the rule of law, embracing European integration and boosting the economy.
The election sees competing visions for Slovenia’s future go head-to-head. Golob and his party frame the election around democratic governance and European alignment. The opposition, led by Janez Janša, is openly inspired by Donald Trump's rhetoric and populist illiberalism.
Despite his current term coming to an end, Golob maintains that further reforms are needed and has set out his party’s priorities for the next mandate:
"We have chosen a path that builds, a path that connects. We have chosen a Slovenia of solidarity, in which satisfied people live, who know that real changes cannot happen overnight, and people who like to believe that united we can do anything. Slovenia, forward!”
Many of the current Members of Parliament will seek re-election, as the party attempts to be the first liberal party in Slovenia to hold the post of Prime Minister and successfully win a re-election. Golob has pointed to his government’s performance as a basis for continuity:
"We have proven that both are possible - to take care of people and at the same time maintain a strong and stable economy."
Party Vice-President Klemen Boštjančič asserted that the party’s election programme represents a transition from crisis management to strategic development. The programme is based on four pillars:
- Strong public services and a focus on accessible healthcare
- Innovation for a better future
- A competitive economy
- More security and resilience