Slovenian president announces dissolution of parliament for early election

LJUBLJANA –Slovenian President Borut Pahor signed the decree to dissolve the National Assembly on Saturday for an early general election he set on June 3, according to the Slovenian Press Agency STA. 

Pahor said he was restricted by law to picking among May 27, June 3 and 10 June 10 and chose the final date following informal and formal consultations with parties and constitutional experts. 

He said he abandoned June 10 because it would have been the same date as the regular election, while May 27 would put the start of the campaign in the May Day holidays, which could open the decision to challenges at the Constitutional Court. 

"In the face of already increased political uncertainty, it is correct that the president make his decision bearing in mind that no additional doubts are raised," he said about potential constitutional challenges. 

Pahor expressed the hope that the campaign will be conducted "in a tolerant atmosphere without hate speech and underpinned by arguments." 

"I wish the result be as clear as possible" and make it possible to facilitate the formation of a new government, he said. 
Slovenia's general (parliament) election should normally be held in the second half of the year. However,

Prime Minister Miro Cerar's resignation and the stipulations of the national constitution provide the president with the right to announce early elections. 

Cerar resigned late on March 14, hours after a Supreme Court ruling to annul the result of a September referendum that approved the government's biggest investment program, a railway project worth one billion euros (1.23 billion U.S. dollars.), which he considered the project vital for Slovenia's development. 
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