Slovenian Elections: Freedom narrowly leads SDS after more than 97 percent of votes counted, Janša doubts results

(Patria) - After 97.82 percent of votes were counted in the tenth parliamentary elections in Slovenia, Freedom led by Prime Minister Robert Golob with 28.54 percent, ahead of SDS led by Janez Janša with 28.23 percent, while NSi, SLS and Fokus followed with 9.35 percent, SD with 6.71 percent, Democrats with 6.68 percent, Resni.ca with 5.57 percent and Levica with 5.36 percent. In his first address, Janez Janša expressed doubts about the official results, claiming that SDS has a lead of approximately 47,000 votes.

Voters were choosing among 1,185 candidates for 90 parliamentary seats. 17 lists competed for the mandates, 15 of which in all eight electoral districts. According to the current data from the National Electoral Commission (DVK), 1,695,196 voters were eligible to vote.

According to exit polls conducted by the Mediana Institute and published at 7 PM after the polling stations closed, the Freedom Movement won 29.9 percent of the votes, while SDS received 27.5 percent. In third place were NSi, SLS and Fokus with 9.4 percent, followed by SD with 6.7 percent, Levica and Vesna with 6.3 percent, Democrats of Anže Logar with 5.9 percent and Resni.ca with 5.2 percent.

This would mean that the Freedom Movement would have 30 deputies, SDS 27, NSi, SLS and Fokus 9, SD 6, Levica and Vesna also 6, Democrats of Anže Logar 5, as well as Resni.ca with 5 mandates.

By 4 PM, 859,909 voters or 50.73 percent of the total electorate had voted, stated the director of the National Electoral Commission, Igor Zorčič.

In the 2022 elections, voter turnout by 4 PM was 49.30 percent.

On Monday, mail-in votes from within the country will be counted, and on March 30th, votes from abroad. Given that objections are possible up to three days after the elections, the DVK could publish the final report on the results between March 31st and April 7th.