Slovenia Opens Polls for Presidential Election

BELGRADE (Sputnik) - Slovenia opened polling stations for presidential elections, with 1.7 million people being eligible to vote, the national election commission said on Sunday.

"Voting takes place from 7:00 [a.m. local time 05"00 GMT] until 19:00. Some 2,999 polling stations have been opened in the country, another 88 will be accessible to those who changed their place of permanent registration," the commission said.

Parliamentary and municipal elections have already been held in Slovenia in 2022. Robert Golob the former head of an energy trading company, led the green-liberal Freedom Movement Party to victory against the right-wing Democratic Party of former Prime Minister Janez Jansa during parliamentary elections in April. Jansa was one of the initiators and participants of Slovenia's secession from Yugoslavia in 1991 and an ardent supporter of Kiev during the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

Five men and two women are among the candidates for the post of head of state. The incumbent Slovenian President, Borut Pahor, has served two terms in office and cannot be elected for a third term, according to the constitution.

Outgoing Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa walks on a stage to address the media in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Sunday, April 24, 2022.

© AP Photo / Darko Bandic

According to the national election commission, 1,696,893 citizens have the right to vote. The projected second round of voting will take place on November 13.

The Slovenian President has mostly ceremonial powers, additionally he proclaims laws approved by parliament, appointments to certain posts, including the judges of the constitutional court, the head of the central Bank and ambassadors, and also sets the date of elections to the lower house of Parliament.