Slovenia’s government will work with new president

Significance

Although her victory -- as an independent candidate -- is not what the governing Freedom Movement (GS), Social Democrat (SD) and Left (Levica) parties hoped for, they are relieved that Andze Logar, the candidate backed by the opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), did not prevail.

Impacts

• Logar’s defeat represents a setback for SDS ahead of local elections on November 20 and December 4.
• Pirc Musar will seek cooperative relations with the EU, avoiding the more confrontational stance of her peers in Croatia and Hungary.
• She has said she will push for the EU integration of the Western Balkans, where Slovenia has multiple interests at stake.