Šarec believes turnout will be key in EU vote

The senior coalition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) filed its candidate list for the upcoming EU elections with the national Electoral Commission on Tuesday. Party president and Prime Minister Marjan Šarec announced a low-key and inexpensive campaign. He believes the result will hinge on voter turnout.

Talking to the press after filing the list, Šarec would not speculate about the outcome of the vote for his party. "Since we don't have MEPs now, anything more than that will be considered a success."

Much will depend on the campaign and turnover, Šarec believes. People need to recognise the candidates who want to bring change to the EU.

The party's slogan for the campaign, which officially starts on Friday, will be We Can Do It At Home. We Can Do It in the EU.

Topping the list of eight candidates is former journalist Irena Joveva, who is confident that the LMŠ offers perfect candidates to bring change to the EU and its institutions.

"There is much talk about experience. But those talking about this have been tested and now it is time for new patterns," said Joveva.

Apart from Joveva, the list contains Klemen Grošelj, Edis Rujović, Tina Heferle, Jasna Ružicki, Luka Kočevar, Justina Erčulj and Rudi Spruk.

SDS-SLS candidates officially join EU election race

The opposition Democratic Party (SDS) and the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS) formally submitted their joint list of candidates for the upcoming EU election to the National Electoral Commission (DVK) on Tuesday. They expect winning the May election by a landslide.

The list is topped by Milan Zver, the current MEP who was the SDS' top candidate already in the previous EU election in 2014. Apart from him, it features another two MEPs of the SDS, Romana Tomc and Patricija Šulin, as well as the SLS MEP Franc Bogovič, former Maribor's mayor Franc Kangler, prominent SDS member Alenka Forte, and two candidates from the SDS youth wing, Davorin Kopše and Alja Domjan.

"I'm sure of a landslide victory since the list includes extremely competent people in the professional as well as political terms," said Zver, adding that the two parties are counting on at least four seats.

Zver pointed out that the SDS and SLS were anticipating an intensive election campaign period, since the EU was facing an existential crisis. EU citizens should thus vote for parties which are striving to keep the member states together.

Zver also said that the centre-right political spectrum had a head start advantage over the centre-left one since the latter was less consolidated.

The deadline of submitting the candidacies expires on Friday, when the election campaign officially gets under way.

The opposition National Party (SNS) and the non-parliamentary party The Good State submitted their lists last week, with all the other parties competing for the European Parliament seats scheduled to do so today or in the upcoming days.

Aiming for two MEPs, SocDems confirm manifesto

The coalition Social Democrats (SD) endorsed a new manifesto Tuesday as they confirmed their eight candidates for the European Parliament election. They will enter the campaign with the slogan We Want Europe.

Europe is not ideal, but we do not have a better option than the EU, party leader Dejan Židan said as he addressed the rank-and-file. He described the EU as the only centre-left party that is growing with field work, which represents "an amazing opportunity."

"When we talk about the EU, we talk about solidarity, about a green, successful and victorious Europe," he said, a reference to the rest of the party's slogan, which highlights solidarity, progressiveness and justice as values that his party stands for.

MEP Tanja Fajon, the party's top-ranked candidate, was confident SD had the chance of winning two of the eight MEP slots considering that it has "very good candidates" and is offering change.

The election will be about "whether we head into a progressive, open, tolerant Europe, or into a disintegration spearheaded by conservative far-right forces that have already brought division, fear and symbols of fascism into Europe."

The manifesto highlights elimination of inequalities and strengthening of solidarity as the party's main pillars, which would include a 35-hour work week across the EU, fair taxation of multinationals, and measures to crack down on tax havens.

The party will also advocate common minimal social standards, consistent implementation of gender equality, and a ban on goods produced by child labour.

NSi enters election race to restore trust in EU

The opposition New Slovenia (NSi) submitted its list of candidates to the National Electoral Commission on Tuesday. Its frontrunner, MP and former MEP Ljudmila Novak, said its goal was to restore trust in the EU. Party leader Matej Tonin added the NSi wanted to enhance Slovenian identity in Europe as it pushed for a strong Europe.

Given that at these critical times Europe needs experienced politicians, the NSi's slate features experienced candidates, also those with European experience, Novak said as she addressed the press in Ljubljana.

She believes the candidates are such as to act in a constructive and integrative manner and to search for solutions. "The NSi has already proved it is able to act in a constructive manner and for the good of Slovenia and the EU's future".

Tonin added that "our candidates epitomise our policies and our efforts for Europe to be built on dialogue and integration". He believes the NSi has come up with a vibrant list of candidates who have already proved themselves, and who have know-how and a vision, which makes them different from other lists.

"We don't want to destroy Europe, we don't want to build on hate and fear, we want to build on hope and integration. This is the key guideline which we will stick to in the month-long election campaign."

The list features eight candidates, four women and four men, with Novak being followed by MP Jožef Horvat, MEP Lojze Peterle, MP Iva Dimic, Mojca Erjavec, Katja Berk Bevc, Slovenian Research Agency director Franci Demšar and Žiga Turk, a former Democrat (SDS) education minister.

Friday, 26 April, is the last day for parties to filed their candidates with the Electoral Commission. The NSi did so with the support of seven MP signatures.

SAB fields its EU election list of candidates

The Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) formally submitted its list of candidates for the May EU election to the National Electoral Commission (DVK) on Tuesday, with the party's head Alenka Bratušek stressing the significance of the upcoming election for the EU future.

"We wish that as many people as possible would participate in this election, since the EU is currently facing an important crossroads," said Bratušek.

The party's frontrunner Angelika Mlinar (Alde) pointed out that this election was decisive for the future of the European Parliament - whether it would stay pro-European or not. She also wished for a higher voter turnout compared to the one in 2014 and for a fair and interesting campaign.

Mlinar is a member of the Slovenian minority in Austria and currently serves as an Austrian MEP. She decided to vie for a seat in the Parliament on behalf of Slovenia in this year's election, even though she could have been the top candidate of the New Austria party (NEOS), which is part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

Bratušek pointed out that Mlinar had a wealth of experience and knowledge, which would contribute to Slovenia's development.

The deadline to submit candidacies expires on Friday, when the election campaign officially gets under way. Slovenian voters will be able to cast their ballots for new MEPs on 26 May.

DOM files candidate list for EU election

The recently established, right-wing, Homeland League (DOM) has filed a list of candidates for the 26 May European Parliament elections. Party leader Bernard Brščič tops the list, followed by former Democrats (SDS) MP Lucija Ušaj, pro-life activist Norma Korošec and Marko Oblak.

Talking to the press after filing the list of candidates with the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, Brščič said that party would get the votes of those who care about Slovenia remaining the home of Slovenians and Europe remaining the home of Europeans.

"On 26 May, the fat lady will sing. We will not be stealing, we will get the votes of those who care about their homeland... Of those who believe it is the duty of the Slovenian state to ensure security and welfare of Slovenian citizens and not of migrants."

DOM will stage a guerilla campaign, according to Brščič, who believes that its alternative platform is the party's advantage.

Apart from DOM, several other parties filed their EU election lists today ahead of the Friday deadline.

The campaign will last for a month, until 24 May at midnight, when the election blackout period starts.