"We need trust, mutual respect, tolerance, readiness to listen. And irrespective of how big the differences among us may be, the things that connect us are even stronger," the former prime minister said.

Unofficial nearly complete results show Pahor elected with 67.44% of the vote against incumbent Danilo Türk, who garnered 32.56%.

Pahor said he was touched by the support given to him and "to the vision that we stood up for together" and that his victory was also committing everyone "to do everything as a nation, a country" to bridge the crisis.

While saying that he was also grappling with many questions, Pahor said that he knew one important answer: "That all the worries, fears and lack of trust among us is accompanied by enough hope, strength and courage."

Pahor believes that existing problems, which are not only Slovenian but also European, cannot be solved without trust in institutions. These institutions, the government, parliament and the president need to earn this trust "with hard work for the common good".

Asked what his first move would be regarding the divide between the coalition and opposition, or PM Janez Janša and Positive Slovenia (PS) head Zoran Janković, Pahor said that it had been his proposal from the start that agreement be reached among all parliamentary parties.

"In case the heads of parties will feel that I can participate in this agreement and contribute to it, I will be happy to do so and offer all my experience," Pahor said while addressing the press on Sunday night.

He added that an agreement on how to exit the crisis would need to be accompanied with an agreement that politics refrain from certain actions and statements which would be normal in stable times but could now undermine the hope of people that a successful way forward is possible.

"Once we beat this crisis - and we will beat it some day - we will again have the confidence that we had when we established our state and we will be among the stars in Europe, shining as a positive example," he said.

Pahor stressed that he would not interfere with or comment on Türk's work until he officially takes over as president after 22 December.