In his letter to Speaker Dejan Židan, Pahor said that Dolenc met all the high professional criteria required and had the necessary experience for the job.

Dolenc has been in charge of Banka Slovenije since May, when Boštjan Jazbec left to take a job on the EU's Single Resolution Board.

The president's office said that Pahor had held a number of formal and informal talks with deputy group heads, determining that none of the candidates enjoy the necessary support.

The president believes, however, that Dolenc "might be able to get the needed support in the National Assembly" after his presentation. The presentation for the National Assembly will expectedly take place on Monday.

Also vying for the post were vice-governor Marko Bošnjak, former vice-governor Mejra Festić, asset manager Triglav Skladi chairman Benjamin Jošar and Milan Martin Cvikl, an alternate director at the EBRD.

During the early-September talks it seemed that Bošnjak and Dolenc enjoyed the most support. The senior coalition Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ) favoured Bošnjak over Dolenc. The coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) and Social Democrats (SD) were supportive of both of them, while the opposition National Party (SNS) favoured Dolenc.

The opposition Left was strongly against Jošar and Dolenc, while the opposition Democrats (SDS) did not express support for any of the candidates. The Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) and New Slovenia (NSi) said they would wait for Pahor's nominee.

The nomination comes five days after Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said that his party would propose a new call for applications, an idea supported by the Left and NSi.

LMŠ vice-president and MP Jerca Korče said on Twitter that while she did not want to assess Dolenc as a candidate, she thought it was "a waste of time" for the president to put forward someone who, considering the consultations, did not enjoy the necessary parliamentary majority.

Reactions by the remaining parties also indicated today that Dolenc could have a hard time getting appointed. He is acceptable for the SNS and the SocDems, the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) will think about it, while the SMC an SAB have not yet responded to the STA's query.

Apart from the five candidates, Pahor could also nominate a candidate who had not applied for the job, but after testing the waters, he saw that no other candidate enjoyed the needed backing either, his office said. Economists Igor Masten and Damjan Kozamernik were mentioned in the media as potential candidates.

He decided to put forward Dolenc to avoid another delay in this appointment procedure.

In April, it was decided by him and parliamentary parties that the next governor should be appointed by the new National Assembly, which was sworn in on 22 June. The parliament now has 30 days to take a secret vote on Pahor's nominee.