Slovenians narrowly rejected a government bill expanding parliamentary inquiry powers in a binding referendum, with 51 percent voting against the proposal. The result deals a blow to Prime Minister Janez Jansa's reform agenda.
Slovenians rejected a bill expanding parliamentary inquiry powers in a referendum Sunday, dealing a blow to nationalist Prime Minister Janez Jansa. With 99 percent of votes counted, 51 percent opposed the proposal and 49 percent backed it in the binding vote. The opposition had denounced his reform agenda as "authoritarian".
The proposal aimed to expand the powers of parliamentary inquiry commissions. Had the proposed law been approved, individuals summoned to testify before parliamentary inquiries would have had to appear immediately. Under the rejected terms, those summoned would have had no right to challenge the summons in court until the commission had completed its work.
The opposition argued that those called to testify might be compelled to disclose sensitive information. They stated that the government was effectively setting up a "political police".
Media and analysts had predicted a low turnout, but partial results put voter participation at 53.7 percent of eligible voters. This figure represents the highest-ever turnout for a referendum in Slovenia.
Janez Jansa came to power after liberal ex-prime minister Robert Golob failed to form a government despite his party's narrow victory in March parliamentary elections. Jansa, a political veteran and an admirer of US President Donald Trump, promised a "cheaper state but with better quality".
Jansa has proposed cutting public-sector jobs and cutting funding for rights groups, drawing criticism from his political opponents. In the run-up to the vote, opposition leader Golob warned that the two million people in the EU member country faced "a real test of how resilient Slovenian democracy is".
The rejection of the bill marks a significant political setback for Prime Minister Janez Jansa. The high voter turnout indicates a highly engaged electorate concerned about the scope of parliamentary powers. The result preserves the current legal framework regarding the rights of individuals summoned to testify, preventing the immediate enforcement of the proposed changes that critics labeled as authoritarian.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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