Slovenia Shifts Course: A Pro-Israel Leader Returns as Prime Minister

After weeks of political instability in Slovenia, the country’s National Assembly approved the appointment of Janez Janša as prime minister over the weekend. His return to power signals a renewed strengthening of the conservative right in Europe, especially in the wake of Viktor Orbán’s loss of power in Hungary.

Janša, who leads the Slovenian Democratic Party and is seen as closely identified with a pro-Israel line, returned to the prime minister’s office after successfully forming a coalition with several right-wing parties in parliament. According to a report by the AFP news agency, 51 members of the National Assembly voted in favor of his appointment, while 36 opposed it, clearing his path back to the country’s leadership.

The new government will replace the outgoing liberal leadership, which had taken a clearly pro-Palestinian line and was considered one of the countries leading the anti-Israel camp within the European Union. Upon being sworn in, Janša explained how he managed to pull off the political move: "Others tried to form a majority coalition and failed. We approached it differently, on a programmatic basis, step by step".

Just a year ago, in May, Slovenia’s government officially recognized a Palestinian state, and later that summer made the unusual decision to ban imports from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, as well as arms trade with Israel.

Now, following the elections held in the country in recent weeks, the left-wing government has lost power. Janša, who is considered to hold pro-Israel positions, is also in contact with Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.

The two first met more than a year ago during Janša’s visit to Israel, and have remained in continuous contact ever since. As part of the political negotiations to form the new government, the two held a quiet meeting in recent weeks in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, where they discussed possibilities for future cooperation.

At the end of the meeting, the two recorded an official video in which Slovenia’s incoming prime minister sent a message to the residents of the area: "I send greetings to the residents of Judea and Samaria. I wish you all the best, happy lives, peace, and growth".

Janša is also known on the international stage for his critical views toward European Union institutions and his identification with President of the United States Donald Trump, whom he openly admires. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was quick to congratulate the prime minister-elect after his appointment was approved, saying that she looks forward to "close cooperation to address the Union’s shared challenges".