A Balkan republic; formerly part of Yugoslavia.
Or Slovenija; Country in S central Europe, bounded N by Austria, E by Hungary, W by Italy, and S by Croatia.
government
Under the 1991 constitution, there is a 90-member chamber of deputies, 40 directly elected and 50 by proportional representation, and a 40-member state council (upper house), 22 directly elected and 18 representing professional and other interest groups. The chamber of deputies serves a four-year term and the state council a five-year term. The state council has veto powers over the lower chamber. The president, popularly elected for a maximum of two five-year terms, has mainly ceremonial powers. The prime minister must command a majority in the national assembly.
history
Settled by the Slovenes in the 6th century, the region came under Frankish rule 788, and then under Hungarian domination 907–55. It was controlled by the Hapsburgs from 1335. It formed part of the Austrian crownlands of Carniola, Styria, and Carinthia prior to its incorporation 1918 into the kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became part of Yugoslavia 1928. Unlike neighboring Croatia, there were few Slovenian demands for autonomy during the 1930s. During World War II the region was occupied by Germany and Italy; it was made a constituent republic within the Yugoslav Socialist Federal Republic Nov 1945. It was the most economically advanced and politically liberal republic within the federation, helping to subsidize the poorer republics.
nationalist unrest
From the 1980s there was economic decline and increasing nationalist unrest. The leadership of the ruling Slovene League of Communists responded by pressing for greater autonomy within the federation to enable the republic to pursue a strategy of economic liberalization and political pluralism. In 1989 opposition parties were legalized and a free, multiparty election was held April 1990. Despite renaming themselves the Party of Democratic Reform (PDR) and adopting a social democratic program, the communists were convincingly defeated by the six-party Democratic Opposition of Slovenia (DEMOS), a nationalist, center-right coalition, which campaigned for independence within a year. However, the PDR's reformist leader was popularly elected state president, renouncing his party membership once installed in office. The new government promoted the formation of a new loose Yugoslav confederation, but this was resisted by Serbia.
secession from Yugoslavia
Overwhelming support was given to independence in a referendum Dec 1990 and plans were made for secession. An independent army, the Slovenian Territorial Defense Force, was established in the spring of 1991. Following the announcement in May 1991 that both Slovenia and Croatia would secede from the federation on 26 June, more than 100 were killed in clashes around newly established Slovene border posts. The European Community (now the European Union) brokered a cease-fire, based upon a three-month suspension of Slovenia's declaration of independence and the withdrawal of the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) from the republic. This was successfully implemented as the focus of the JNA's activity switched to Croatia, with its much larger Serb minority. On 23 Dec 1991 Slovenia adopted a new constitution. In the same month DEMOS dissolved itself and reverted to independent parties.
independence recognized
The EC and US formally recognized Slovenia's independence Jan 1992. A vote of no confidence in the government April 1992 led to the appointment of Janez Drnovšek as prime minister designate. Slovenia was admitted to the United Nations May 1992. Assembly elections Dec 1992 were won by the centrist Liberal Democrats and Christian Democrats, and Milan Kucan was reelected president. Janez Drnovšek was reelected prime minister by the national assembly Jan 1993.