LJUBLJANA, Reuters – Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Jansa is hoping to overcome criticisms about his record in democracy and media freedoms in order to win a fourth term as a member of the parliamentary elections in the small Alpine state.

This 63-year old populist campaigned on the promise to boost the economy and ensure energy security in the country of 2 million former Yugoslav citizens, which is now a NATO member.

Jansa is an admirer and ally to Viktor Orban’s nationalist Hungarian Prime Minster. He has clashed over media freedoms with Brussels and his opponents have accused him of undermining democracy standards.

Jansa denied the allegations, but it is possible that there will be a close race between the centre-right Slovenian Democratic Party (Jansa) and the environmentalist Freedom Movement (which wants greater investment in renewable energy as well as more transparency within state institutions.

Ninamedia published Friday’s polling results, putting Jansa’s SDS and the Freedom Movement at 26.7%.

The winner will need to find coalition partners in order to form a government. Both main left-leaning party have rejected the possibility of being part in a SDS-led coalition.

After voting early, President Borut Pahor stated that every vote was important and valuable. “We will face more than the daily issues in the future due to the current situation in Europe and worldwide in the aftermath of the pandemics and war in Ukraine,” President Borut Pahor stated.

About 1.7 Million voters will be eligible to vote beginning at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT). The polling stations will close by 7 p.m. and exit polls should follow shortly.

KYIV VISIT

Jansa served as the Prime Minister from 2004-2008 and again from 2013-2013. He is also a strong advocate for EU expansion, which includes membership of Ukraine.

He was the EU leader who visited Ukraine on February 24, to stand with Kyiv in its invasion by Russia.

Jansa states that he is a good manager of the economy and expects to be able to take advantage of any measures taken to lessen the negative economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robert Golob is the leader of The Freedom Movement. He was a former CEO at a state-owned oil company. Jansa is accused of trying to use the war for political gain, but the Freedom Movement supports EU sanctions against Russia. Jansa denies the accusation.