Politics of Slovenia
The political system of Slovenia is a very young compared to other European, because of today's democracy has only emerged in 1991 with the independence of Slovenia. The country has a bicameral parliament and a dependent of the government.
Parliament
The Slovenian Parliament can be considered as an " imperfect " bicameral parliament. It consists of a first "significant " chamber of the National Assembly ( Državni zbor, the German translated as National Assembly ), and a second consultative chamber, the National Council ( Državni svet, also Council of State). The National Assembly is elected for four years and has 90 members. The two recognized autochthonous, national minorities ( Italians and Hungarians ) have the right to send one representative. This minority MPs in laws and state common law, which relate exclusively to the rights and the position of the respective minority, an absolute veto.
A dual function as a member of the government and deputy is prohibited. Acts, laws, resolutions and the like are passed by a simple majority, while constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority. The National Assembly elects the prime minister on the proposal of the President. In addition, it also has the control of the government by the possibility of a vote of no confidence. The chairman of the meeting will also be selected from this and, together with his three deputies, the Group Chairman and the two members of national minorities the presidential body, an advisory body to the president.
The National Council serves as a second chamber of representatives of regional and functional interests. It has 40 members, of which 22 are deployed regionally. The remaining seats are divided as follows: four representatives each from employers, workers, farmers and business people, as well as six representatives of non- economic interests. The National Council is elected every 5 years and has, as already mentioned above in an advisory capacity. However, he also has a right of veto, but which has only precedent character.
President
The Slovenian president is elected for a term of 5 years directly by the people. He is the supreme commander of the Slovenian Armed Forces and may be dismissed by an action of the National Assembly to the Constitutional Court and a subsequent 2/3-majority the Court of Justice of the Office. Where the National Assembly does not accept his proposed Prime Minister candidate, he can dissolve them. The President must dissolve the Assembly and call an election if they can not agree on a candidate of their own following. A single re- election is possible.
Government
The Slovenian government is divided into the Prime Minister, the Ministers and their secretaries. It is subject to parliamentary oversight by the National Assembly. At the suggestion of at least 10 MPs a vote of no confidence can be initiated. In addition, the National Assembly may oppose the government with the Constitutional Court indictment. The Prime Minister has the right to make at any time the question of confidence or any law connecting to such a. Against individual members of the government can be started by the National Assembly also an interpellation. If this is successful, the Prime Minister has dismissed the respective member of the government.
Electoral system
The National Assembly is elected on the basis of proportional representation in multi -member constituencies. There are eight constituencies for this purpose. The electoral threshold is 4%. The two representatives of minorities are elected exclusively by their ethnicity groups. For the National Council elections, the country is divided into 22 constituencies. The communities form electoral bodies which elect representatives. The representatives of functional interests are chosen and sent by interest groups. In the election of the President, a majority vote is applied. It is an absolute majority needed. If this is not achieved, there is a runoff.
Legislation
Legislative proposals are discussed in the National Assembly in three readings. A simple majority can simple laws, adopt a qualified majority of 2/3 of constitutional laws. A possible veto of the National Council may by a steady resolution of the National Assembly (simple majority) be overruled. The law needs to come into force, be promulgated by the President.
Parties
In Slovenia, there are a large number of parties. In the parliamentary elections occurred at 1992 33 parties, 22 parties in 1996 and 2000, 23 parties.
When classifying in the political spectrum in Slovenia itself, the terms left and right partial differently applied as in the German and English speaking countries.
So was the name of the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia, which is settled by international standards between liberal and right- populist, as misleading as the classification of the extreme right ( as xenophobic and militaristic ) Slovenian National Party as " left" (due to the well-kept by their party chairman Zmago Jelinčič Tito cult ).
In the following, the parties are sorted according to the usual German and English speaking understanding of the political spectrum:
In a narrower sense, left-wing parties are not represented in the national parliament. The Komunistična Partija Slovenije (Communist Party of Slovenia ) was able to record any significant electoral success.
Center-left parties are:
- Socialni democratic ( social democrats, formerly Združena lista socialnih demokratov ( ZLSD, United List of Social Democrats )
- LDS: Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
- Zare, a left-liberal cleavage of the LDS
On the political middle part:
- DeSUS: Democratic Pensioners Party of Slovenia
Christian Democratic- Conservative parties: Originally, there were the Slovenski krščanski democratic ( SKD, Slovenian Christian Democrats) and the Slovenska Ljudska stranka ( Slovenian People's Party, SLS ). Both parties united in 2000 to SKD SLS, now the party performs only the name SLS. After the unification of the two parties split from the SKD SLS, the New Slovenia ( N.Si ) from.
The Slovenian Democratic Party (formerly: Social Democratic Party of Slovenia ) is between liberal and right- populist.
Extreme right-wing parties are the Slovene National Party and the split-off of her Slovenian National rights.