Recently, questions have started to arise in political circles about a possible reshaping of the political space, in particular with regard to Anže Logar, who recently left the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS). His moves and a recent opinion poll he commissioned at the end of September have raised speculation as to whether Logar will be the new face of the left.
In addition to his own popularity, the poll also asked about the popularity of other politicians, including the leader of the opposition and the SDS party, Janez Janša, Prime Minister Robert Golob, MEP Vladimir Prebilič and, surprisingly, former Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar. The question of why Bobnar, who currently does not hold any political office and is an advisor to the President of the Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar, was on the list aroused a lot of interest.
According to the media outlet N1, when asked why Tatjana Bobnar was included alongside four prominent politicians, Logar hesitantly replied, “As far as I know, she is quite a well-known person, and there have been rumours that she is one of the possibilities of a political alternative.” He added that the survey included the names of possible prominent figures in Slovenian politics.
Bobnar was surprised by her inclusion in the survey and stressed that she had not been informed about this and the reasons for it. “My only focus right now is my work in the office of the President of the Republic, which I do with full dedication and responsibility,” she said when asked whether she planned to return to politics. She also clarified that she is not a member of any party and that she has no plans to start her own political party.
Added value for the transitional left or for the parties of the democratic arc?
The composition of Logar’s team also suggests that he could be the new face of the left. Janez Janša already warned some time ago that the election of MPs such as Jernej Pikalo and others, who are today at the forefront of Logar’s Cooperation Platform, would be an added value for the transitional left, because until very recently, these individuals were the main actors in the exclusionary politics of the socialists. “If people like Jernej Pikalo and others like him are elected as MPs of this party, then such a composition in the next convocation of the National Assembly would only represent added value for the transitional left rather than for the parties of the democratic arc,” Janša believes.
It should also be noted that the person who is most enthusiastic about Logar’s exit from the SDS party is a former Freedom Movement party (Gibanje Svoboda) MP, Mojca Šetinc Pašek, who did not even rule out working with the former SDS deputy. She said that she could not rule out joining Logar’s “future story,” or the group of non-affiliated MPs that is likely to be formed in the future.
The Social Democrats party (Socialni demokrati – SD) also cautiously welcomed Logar’s withdrawal from the largest opposition party. However, only time will tell how this will all play out and whether Logar will really become the new face of the left or of the centre.
Sara Kovač
