ABSTRACT
In the period considered, Slovenia saw several party system changes, with one of the most notable being the electoral success of several new parties. Three prime ministers (PMs) coming from these parties led cabinets. While many may have expected changes in coalition governance due to newcomers heading up the cabinets, such governance has not changed significantly. Still, a new strategy was implemented with the newcomers, opting for a stepping-down strategy as a mechanism of cabinet termination, instead of the dropping-out strategy of coalition partners that is a hallmark of politically experienced PMs in Slovenia. Although the economic, financial, and migration crises all had some effect on the way cabinets were formed and terminated as well as how coalitions were governed, the biggest consequences of the COVID-19 crisis in the investigated period were generally related to democratic backsliding.
