ABSTRACT

Slovenia is one of the smallest member states with a population of two million. Having declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it established itself as a unitary parliamentary republic. The constitution guarantees special rights and protection to the indigenous Italian and Hungarian minorities.1 The directly elected president has largely ceremonial powers, while executive formation occurs as a result of legislative elections. The prime minister is nominated by the president and approved by an absolute majority of parliamentarians.2 If this fails, the National Assembly can elect an alternative candidate as prime minister, despite the preferences of the president. Apart from resignation, death, or losing a vote of confidence on its own initiative, the government can only be removed by a vote of constructive no confidence,3 whereby a new prime minister is simultaneously elected by an absolute majority of parliamentarians. This is comparable to the German Basic Law.