Lojze Peterle, Slovenia's first prime minister and a former foreign minister and long-serving member of the European Parliament, quit New Slovenia (NSi), the Christian democratic party he co-founded, citing fundamental differences between him and the leadership of the opposition party.

The move, announced by the party on 5 November, comes after Peterle openly criticised the party leadership, failing to attend for the first time a party congress in October where Matej Tonin was endorsed for his fourth two-year term as NSi leader.

Peterle told the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) he had been considering his exit for a while, the reason being excessive differences in the way him and the current leadership understand the identity of Christian democracy.

He has been critical of the party leadership's failure to deliver on the promise to increase the party voter base and of their ruling out joining a government led by Janez Janša, the leader of the fellow opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), again after being part of all three of his governments so far.

As the third largest party the NSi holds eight of the 90 seats in the current National Assembly and has recently been polling at between roughly 4 and 6%.

Peterle sees party abandoning its roots

New Slovenia was founded in 2000 by Peterle and late Adrej Bajuk (1943-2011), who served seven months as prime minister that year, after an ill-fated attempt to merge Slovenian Christian Democrats (SKD) and the Slovenian People's Party (SLS).

As SKD leader Peterle led Slovenia's first democratic government in 1990-92, under which Slovenia attained independence from the former Yugoslavia. He later served as foreign minister in two governments and was member of the European Parliament (MEP) for three terms between 2004 and 2019.

Explaining his decision to quit the NSi, Peterle said he felt the party stopped fostering the climate that helped its predecessor convince voters in the past. "To sum it up, there were differences in the understanding of ethics, morals and politics with the current leadership."

Peterle is worried about the path the party has taken, and he says he does not seem to be the only one as quite a few members have left the NSi recently. He would like his departure to help turn things for the better.

He believes Tonin, who was elected an MEP in June, will not be able to lead the party effectively while serving in the European Parliament.

In a recent Facebook post, Peterle wrote that the zigzagging approach - "a little left, a little right" - should not be an alternative to what used to be Christian democrats' policy of clear values, identity and goals.

Overcoming "virus of divisiveness"

He called on Christian democrats from different parties and those no longer active in the movement to join forces and beat "the virus of divisiveness" for the benefit of the entire country.

The 76-year-old does not have plans to start his own party, but is willing to help people who would seek to shape a stronger Christian democratic political movement.

"We regret his decision to leave," Tonin wrote on X, adding that Peterle had always known how to put in words his critical take on the party's actions.

"We have always seen this as a sign of democracy in the party and his contribution to it. This is also how we understand his decision to leave the party."

The NSi thanked Peterle for all he has done for the party and the development of Christian democracy in Slovenia. "We are happy that we still have a common goal - to strengthen Christian democracy," Tonin said.

Flux in the right bloc

Peterle's move comes amid a flux in the right bloc after the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) saw an exit by Anže Logar, a long-standing member, MP and former foreign minister, who is planning to start a new party later this year. Two more SDS MPs have quit the party to join Logar, reducing the SDS's tally of seats at the National Assembly to 24.

Commenting for the STA, analyst Luka Lisjak Gabrijelčič described the prominent exits as marking a split between old and young generations in both parties.

But while Peterle advocates a position further to the right than Tonin, Logar is moving further to the centre from SDS leader Janez Janša. "I doubt they will meet half way," he said of Peterle and Logar.

Plans to start new parties have also been announced by Karl Erjavec, a minister in several consecutive governments, and Marko Lotrič, the president of the National Council, the upper chamber of parliament.