Virant reiterated that following the no-confidence vote against PM Janez Janša's government and the confirmation of Positive Slovenia (PS) interim head Alenka Bratušek as PM-designate, the DL will be a tough negotiator in the talks on a new left-leaning government, insisting on its liberal values and programme.

"On the basis of the result of the talks, the council of the DL will decide on whether we will enter the coalition and the government and contribute our votes in the appointment of the government, or vote against and cause early elections," the head the DL, which left the coalition in January, wrote.

Recapping the developments that have led to the political crisis, he described the DL as possibly being the most principled and consisted among parties when it comes to demanding the resignation of Janša and former opposition leader Zoran Janković after a damning anti-graft report against them.

"The council of the DL decided to back the proposal for the new PM-designate with the aim to dismiss this government, whose lack of credibility, extremely low public support, brutal staffing and an offensive communication with the public are causing grave damage to the country every day," Virant wrote.

Virant's view that the failure to appoint a new government following a no-confidence vote against the existing one can lead to an early election was confirmed a few days ago for the STA by constitutional law expert Tone Jerovšek.

In the case of a such a constitutional collapse when there would be no new government while the powers of the existing one would be limited to basic operational affairs, Jerovšek allows for the possibility of the president of the country disbanding parliament and calling an early election.