Government and Politics of Slovenia

Government Type

parliamentary democratic republic

Administrative Divisions

182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina ) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse, Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zuzemberk, Zrece

Legal System

based on civil law system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovenia; both parents if the child is born outside of Slovenia dual citizenship recognized: yes, for select cases residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years, the last 5 of which have been continuous

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Nataša PIRC MUSAR (since 23 December 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Robert GOLOB (since 1 June 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 October and 13 November 2022 (next to be held in fall 2027); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 24 April 2022 (next National Assembly elections to be held in 2026) election results: Nataša PIRC MUSAR elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Nataša PIRC MUSAR 53.9%, Anže LOGAR 46.1%; Robert GOLOB elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 54 to 30

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or Državni Zbor (90 seats; members are elected by popular vote through a proportional representation system with single-member constituency and party list components; members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Državni Svet (40 seats; this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, request review of any National Assembly decisions, and call national referenda; members representing social, economic, professional, and local interests are indirectly elected to five-year terms by an electoral college). Elections: National Assembly - last held on 24 April 2022 (next to be held in 2026). Election results: percent of vote by party - Gibanje Svoboda (Freedom Movement) 34.5%, SDS 23.5%, Nova Slovenija (NSi) 6.9%, SD 6.7%, Levica 4.4%, SLS 4.0%, SNS 3.5%, other 16.5%; seats by party - Gibanje Svoboda 41, SDS 27, NSi 8, SD 7, Levica 5, and one seat each reserved for the Hungarian and Italian national minorities. Following the election, Gibanje Svoboda leader Robert Golob was appointed Prime Minister, ending the tenure of Janez Janša and marking a significant shift in Slovenia's political landscape.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president)

Political Parties

Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Head of State

President Nataša PIRC MUSAR

Head of Government

Prime Minister Robert GOLOB

Cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly

Elections

National Assembly - last held on 24 April 2022 (next to be held in 2026).

Election Results

Percent of vote by party in the 2022 parliamentary election: Gibanje Svoboda (Freedom Movement) 34.5%, SDS 23.5%, Nova Slovenija (NSi) 6.9%, SD 6.7%, Levica 4.4%, SLS 4.0%, SNS 3.5%, other 16.5%. Seats by party: Gibanje Svoboda 41, SDS 27, NSi 8, SD 7, Levica 5, with one seat each reserved for the Hungarian and Italian national minorities. Following the election, Gibanje Svoboda leader Robert Golob was appointed Prime Minister in June 2022, ending the tenure of Janez Janša and marking a significant shift in Slovenia's political landscape. Golob's coalition government, formed with SD and Levica, has pursued a platform centered on democratic renewal, climate policy, and strengthening the rule of law.

Constitution

adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National Holiday

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

International Organization Participation

ACCT (observer), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Davorin KRACUN chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Capital City

Ljubljana

Location

46 03 N, 14 31 E

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

likely related to the Slavic root "ljub", meaning "to like" or "to love"; by tradition, the name is related to the Slovene word "ljubljena" meaning "beloved"

U.S. Embassy Ljubljana, Consular Section Prešernova 31 1000 Ljubljana Telephone: (386) (1) 200-5595 Emergency after-hours telephone: (386) (1) 200-5556 Facsimile: (386) (1) 200-5535 E-mail: ACSLjubljana@state.gov

Military Branches

Slovenian Armed Forces (Slovenska Vojska, SV): Forces Command (with ground units, naval element, air and air defense brigade); Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (ACPDR

Service Age and Obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003