By: Dr Stane Granda
Regardless of the pre‑election polls, the winner of the election is known. But due to the perversity of Slovenian politics, it is not certain whether he will actually be able to form a government. His undermining even before the election was triggered by none other than the president of the republic herself, who is unable to conceal the ideological nest she belongs to. She too contributes to the greatest division among Slovenians in history. It is not only about the ruling financial oligarchy, but also about an ideology and a politics for which independence was never an intimate option. It seems self‑evident that the government should be formed by whoever secures a parliamentary majority of at least 46 MPs, yet the president denies the winner the fundamental right to at least try, even theoretically. Granting the mandate is not an act of grace but a duty, part of the constitutional order that she, above all, must respect. In reality, she is calling for the formation of an anti‑opposition coalition. Is this democracy?
When she took office, the president declared that she would not remain silent. She did not keep that promise. She said nothing when the museum dedicated to the greatest achievement in Slovenian history was abolished, an incomprehensible stance for a president who fancies her historical knowledge superior to that of qualified historians. She did not oppose the abolition of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes, which she further confirmed by hiding the remains exhumed in the Kočevski Rog in Škofja Loka. She did not protect the demonised opposition, even though this is the primary duty of the guardian of democracy, the president of a democratic state. She did not defend the dignity of independence, nor its distortion. Yet she spoke when she should have remained silent, especially regarding the position of the Slovenian minority in neighbouring countries. She remained silent when, in connection with the two Gorizias as European Capitals of Culture, not only was their symbol, the Kostanjevica Monastery, omitted, but also the Slovenian minority in the Goriška region, while independence was presented mainly through the lens of the “erased” and the glorification of the Sabotin inscription.
When calling the elections, the president urged that “the elections be conducted fairly.” She assured that she would be “attentive to disinformation and manipulation, including from abroad.” She stressed that “elections are the foundation and at the same time the celebration of democracy, and an opportunity to reflect on what kind of society we want to build and what kind of future we want.” She called for a culture of dialogue and respect for differences, for “respectful, responsible, and tolerant communication during the campaign.” But was she not the first to spit into her own bowl? She does not allow citizens free will; instead, she dictates “what kind of society we want to build and what kind of future we want.” Thank you for the existing predatory oligarchic coalition with capital, for the crumbs from the rich man’s table, where the wealthy grow wealthier and the number of the poor increases.
The current government must be acknowledged for identifying some of the key problems of society. That was not difficult, since most of them have been known since independence. It hides its failures behind a war with doctors and farmers. The problem is that it has approached these issues without foresight, ensuring jobs and salaries for its own people, while citizens gain little or nothing, and are in fact worse off, among other things because of pension indexation that drives recipients toward starvation. There is no trace of care for those who need assistance at home. This is also why they pushed for the law on medical assistance in dying. People do not concern them; their god is money.
The existing coalition with capital, oligarchy, and predatory economics should be genuinely and permanently replaced by a coalition with voters, with citizens. They, not capital, are the primary concern of a democratic, independent Slovenia. It is high time they ensured higher added value, supported democracy, and stopped imposing the maintenance of their Maseratis and yachts as the country’s foremost problem. The opposition must be credible. It should avoid ideological quarrels and instead show people, bluntly and without hesitation, what has happened to them over the past four years and what awaits them if the current rulers remain in power. The emptiness of citizens’ wallets speaks for itself, despite the Christmas bonus. The current coalition of lies and division, a sower of intolerance and anti‑Slovenian sentiment, is prepared for anything, except losing power. Its arrogance leads to the erosion of the meaning and goals of independence.