Anti-immigrant party set to make gains at Slovenia vote

By Ali Zerdin Associated Press

Friday, June 1, 2018 8:05 AM

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but which could see strong gains by an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungary's firebrand prime minister, Viktor Orban.

Sunday's vote is formally a snap ballot called a few weeks earlier than the regular four-year span following the sudden resignation in March of outgoing Prime Minister Miro Cerar over a failed railway project.

Prime Minister Janez Jansa's right-wing opposition Slovenian Democratic Party, leading the polls with around 25 percent of the votes, faces a new party led by an ex-comedian and several moderate groups from the outgoing ruling coalition.

No party is expected to gain an absolute majority in the 90-member parliament, with negotiations to form a coalition government likely after the balloting.

Anti-immigrant party set to make gains at Slovenia vote

FILE -- In this Friday, June 20, 2014 photo former Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa stands in front of the Slovenian flag in Ljubljana, Slovenia prior to his departure to prison. Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but could see an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungarys firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban make strong gains. (AP Photo/Matej Leskovsek, file)

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File -- In this Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017 photo Slovenian presidential candidate Marjan Sarec talks to the media in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but could see an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungarys firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban make strong gains. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, file)

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FILE -- In this Saturday, March 25, 2017 photo Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar signs a declaration during an EU summit meeting at the Orazi and Curiazi Hall in the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome, Italy. Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but could see an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungarys firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban make strong gains. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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File -- In this Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 photo Marjan Sarec, former actor and a candidate at upcoming presidential elections, looks at his counter-candidates ahead of a televised debate at Slovenia's public TV, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but could see an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungarys firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban make strong gains. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, file)

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FILE -- In this Friday, June 20, 2014 photo former Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa, center, flashes victory sign prior to his departure to prison, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but could see an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungarys firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban make strong gains. (AP Photo/Matej Leskovsek)

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FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 photo Slovenian Prime Minister, Miro Cerar arrivies for an EU summit at the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium. Slovenian voters go to the polls this weekend in a parliamentary election expected to produce no clear winner but could see an anti-immigrant party backed by Hungarys firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban make strong gains. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File)

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