By: Gašper Blažič
The announcement that MP Eva Irgl is leaving SDS, following a similar move by Anže Logar a few days ago, opens Pandora’s box of all past parliamentary defections and withdrawals. As we recently reported, Article 82 of the Constitution explicitly protects the freedom of decision-making of elected MPs, regardless of the electoral system and the will of the voters. This means that, once elected, an MP is not accountable to anyone but can act according to their conscience.
In our editorial office, with the help of data from the website of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, we have gathered information on party switches since 1992, when the first MPs of the National Assembly were elected. A detailed list of names is available HERE. For clarity, we have omitted some names. The large number of defections and party switches confirms our thesis that the system, which allows MPs to act independently of voters, is too liberal. For example, regarding the incompatibility of functions, if an MP becomes a minister, they can no longer be an MP, but if their ministerial role ends prematurely, they return to the National Assembly, and during this time, they have a replacement MP. However, in the case of an MP’s resignation, there is no replacement MP.
An overview of all past party switches, withdrawals, and entries into parliamentary groups shows that there have been relatively few actual party switches from one party to another. Most MPs who left a party remained independent (or non-affiliated) MPs or joined the group of non-affiliated MPs. The condition for establishing a parliamentary group is that it must be formed by at least three MPs, which also facilitates their operations (in terms of administrative matters and financing). The list does not include the switches of MPs from the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia in the years 1990-1992. Let’s take a look then.
Term 1992-1996
In the first term of the National Assembly, MPs were notably marked by a mass exit from the SNS parliamentary group (only four members remained, led by Zmago Jelinčič) and the defection of MPs from the Democratic Party (led by Igor Bavčar, with Dimitrij Rupel and Igor Omerza as members) to the parliamentary group of the newly established Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS). A smaller group of Democratic Party MPs, who did not join LDS – among them France Bučar, Danica Simšič, and Tone Peršak – formed a new parliamentary group. Members of the Slovenian Greens, including two former Demos ministers, Peter Tancig and Leo Šešerko, also left the party they had run for at the start of the term. They established the Green-Ecological Social Party parliamentary group and in May 1994, they too joined the “new” LDS, which retained the same abbreviation as the former Liberal-Democratic Party.
Some former SNS MPs (like Sašo Lap, Marjan Stanič, Ivan Verzolak, etc.) founded the Independent Parliamentary Group, which later became the parliamentary group of the Slovenian National Right. Some MPs left this group. For example, Andrej Lenarčič moved to the remnants of the Democrats, and by the end of the term, he found himself in the Independent MPs’ Group, which also included Brane Eržen, Jožef Kopše, and Marijan Poljšak (previously in the Slovenian National Right). Irena Oman left SNS to join SLS, as did Štefan Matuš. Janez Vindiš, on the other hand, switched from SLS to SKD.
LDS MP Ljerka Bizilj left LDS in 1996 and remained an independent MP until the end of the term, as did Janez Jug.
Term 1996-2000
In this term, there were far fewer defections than in the previous one, but they were much more significant. Early in the term, when it became clear that the so-called right-centrist trio (SLS, SDS, SKD) had won more votes than the other parties, the scandalous “secession” of Ciril Pucko from SKD occurred. Formally, he remained an independent MP until the end of the term, but in reality, he supported LDS. He was later elected on the LDS list. His defection enabled the return of LDS to power.
A few months before the end of the term, Polonca Dobrajc (SNS) and Eda Okretič Salmič (DeSUS) left their parliamentary groups and supported the election of Bajuk’s government.
Term 2000-2004
During this period, the four-member parliamentary group of the Youth Party of Slovenia collapsed just before the end of the term. Bogomir Vnučec switched to the SDS MPs, while the other three members (Peter Levič, Marko Diaci, Igor Štemberger) became independent MPs. Dimitrij Rupel also joined the SDS MPs in the summer of 2004 after being dismissed from his role as foreign minister. Although he was elected in 2000 on the LDS list, he returned to the National Assembly. On the other hand, SDS MP Franc Čebulj left the party, and after two years as an independent MP, he joined the SLS.
Term 2004-2008
This period was marked by the disintegration of LDS. Some of its MPs formed the Zares parliamentary group, which initially had no name until the party was officially established. This parliamentary group included several notable figures (Majda Širca, Cveta Zalokar Oražem, Pavel Gantar, Davorin Terčon, etc.). Four LDS MPs (Tone Rop, Milan M. Cvikl, Marko Pavliha, and Darja Lavtižar Bebler) joined SD, while Slavko Gaber did not join any group.
Jelinčič’s SNS disintegrated again, as three of its MPs, led by Sašo Peče, formed the Lipa parliamentary group, which later failed in the elections. Former minister Janez Drobnič, who had been dismissed, also struck out on his own, leaving NSi after returning to the National Assembly.
Term 2008-2011
This parliamentary term was shortened by one year due to preliminary elections. Franc Pukšič left the SDS parliamentary group and, after a period as an independent MP, joined SLS. A group of unaffiliated MPs was formed, which included former DeSUS MPs Franc Žnidaršič and Vili Rezman, former SD MP Andrej Magajna, and former Zares MPs Alojz Posedel and Vili Trofenik, who had previously been members of SLS and then LDS. Julijana Bizjak Mlakar left SD and remained an unaffiliated MP.
Term 2011-2014
This term was also shortened and was particularly marked by the collapse of the Positive Slovenia parliamentary group. After Zoran Janković returned to the leadership of Positive Slovenia, some of its MPs followed the “rebel” Alenka Bratušek, who founded her own party and parliamentary group. Others returned to Positive Slovenia after Janković’s return. Interestingly, some MPs remained unaffiliated, while others joined the Alenka Bratušek party’s parliamentary group (such as the frequent party-switcher Jani Möderndorfer and Mitja Meršol). The unaffiliated MPs’ group continued to exist, and from time to time, some MPs remained completely unaffiliated without belonging to any group, such as Ivan Vogrin (formerly of the Citizens’ List) and Ivan Simčič (formerly of DeSUS).
Term 2014-2018
This time, there were not as many mass exits or constant party switching. A few individuals, such as Bojan Dobovšek, Bojan Krajnc, and Franc Laj from SMC, Janko Veber from SD, Mirjam Bon Klajnšček, Möderndorfer, and Bratušek from SAB (or ZaAB), Matjaž Hanžek from Levica, and Zvone Lah and Andrej Čuš from SDS, moved to become independent MPs. Lah joined the NSi parliamentary group in the meantime, but later left it. Peter Vilfan (SAB) joined DeSUS. Some of these defectors grouped into an independent MPs’ group, while others did not.
Term 2018-2022
During this period, there were notable exits from Levica, such as Violeta Tomić, Željko Cigler, and Franc Trček. The latter two joined SD. Gregor Židan and, shortly before him, Milan Brglez (formerly SMC) also joined SD. There were numerous exits from SMC, mainly due to the formation of the third Janša government. The rebellious MPs from SMC formed a new parliamentary group, while some moved to SAB (Branislav Rajić) and LMŠ (Möderndorfer). Jurij Lep from DeSUS also joined the independent MPs, while Lidija Ivanuša switched from SNS to SDS. Today, LMŠ and SAB are part of the Svoboda party.
Term 2022 –
At the end of 2023, Mojca Šetinc Pašek left the Gibanje Svoboda MPs’ and became an independent MP. In October 2024, Anže Logar announced his exit from the SDS parliamentary group, followed by Eva Irgl a few days later.
SDS has not significantly strengthened due to defectors
A review of exits and party switching shows that the first significant exit occurred with the election of the second Drnovšek government in early 1993, when Zmago Jelinčič decided to support the government. At that time, his parliamentary group in the National Assembly was quite strong, but it soon disintegrated. However, the most notable defection remains that of Ciril Pucko, who tipped the balance of power four years later. A similar defection in the opposite direction, involving MPs Polonca Dobrajc and Eda Okretič Salmič during the confirmation of Bajuk’s government, did not have the same effect.
Interestingly, several exits and returns were triggered by Zoran Janković. Elected as an MP in 2011, he renounced his parliamentary mandate. When he tactically stepped down from leading his party, some MPs left Positive Slovenia, only to return when Janković came back.
Most exits and party switches did not significantly alter the balance of power. This was evident during the third Janša government when the SMC parliamentary group shrank significantly, as some of its members joined the opposition. Later, DeSUS also decided to leave the coalition, resulting in a minority government. When we pointed out the constitutional anomaly, we were told that such an anomaly also benefits SDS. However, history shows that up to today, six MPs have left SDS, two of them in this term. Three MPs have joined: Bogomir Vnučec and Dimitrij Rupel (in 2004) and Lidija Ivanuša in the previous term. As a result, SDS has not significantly strengthened, and there has been no change in the balance of power. Interestingly, few defectors return to the National Assembly after one term. This has perhaps only been achieved by Ciril Pucko, Jani Möderndorfer, and Franc Pukšič, and maybe a few others, but these are exceptions rather than the rule.