Virant, who needs to collect a significantly smaller number of signatures to run with a party, said that the decision had been made as part of his camp's favouring of quick and simple solutions and the wish to provide a platform for people to get organised.

He revealed that his party's slate would include economist Janez Sustarsic, former head of the Competition Protection Office Jani Sorsak, Murska Sobota Mayor Anton Stihec, the boss of the Terme Lendava spa Igor Magdic, Public Procurement Agency head Saso Matas and chief market inspector Andrejka Grlic.

According to Virant, whose bid was recently also endorsed by successful entrepreneur and innovator Ivo Boscarol, these are mostly new names in the political arena, all of which have however proven themselves in the economy, public sector or other fields.

Speaking on the sidelines of an internal meeting with his supporters, he announced that a draft election programme would be adopted at a congress, listing among other things the proposal to cut the funding of parties from the public budget by 50%.

Virant wants an effective state, which should be strengthened where necessary and removed from where it has no place, meaning the economy and media, for instance.

Virant's party wants to pursue a merciless fight against red tape, while standing for tolerance in the social sphere.

"We are not entering politics to engage in bickering," Virant, who was minister under the 2004-2008 Janez Jansa-led government, said.

He reiterated that he held no grudge against the head of the Democrats (SDS) and that he hoped the same would hold for Jansa after the election.