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Janković sent out an invitation proposing that Bratušek be formally asked to stay on as prime minister and that the coalition agreement be supplemented with a plan of action involving projects that are key to Slovenia's development.

"The congress is behind us and the fact is that things will never be the same. There are two options: we can split up or we can become more united...I'm confident we can continue working together and for the greater good," he wrote in the invitation.

Despite the proposed resolutions, the party's council was only able to hold a informal meeting since Bratušek is still formally the chair and has sole discretion in calling formal debates.

After the meeting, which was attended by around half of the council members, Janković said that the PS was not bringing down the government nor leaving the coalition. He said the party did not want early elections, although it was ready for that option.

But a split in the party is all but inevitable, as demonstrated by the earlier meeting held in the afternoon by Bratušek with more than half of the PS deputies, who had mostly backed the PM in the leadership battle.

The meeting, which was labelled an effort to "determine a headcount", was reportedly attended by around 16 of the 27-strong deputy group.

After the evening meeting with Janković, nine MPs confirmed that they would stay on in the PS deputy group, while another two attended the meeting, but their future is not clear.

At least one deputy, Dragan Bosnič, has left the party already and is thinking about becoming an unaffiliated MP.

Former MP Tamara Vonta, who heads the Office for Nationalities, has already left the party and MP Jerko Čehovin plans to do the same, though he does not yet know whether he will also leave the deputy group.

"I can retire. My political future is uncertain and it may well end," said Čehovin, noting that an early election is the only option left.

Several other MPs have indicated they were unhappy with Janković's election but they are yet to formally announce any moves.

Media reports suggested that PS deputy group leader Jani Möderndorfer is likely to step down as well. A staunch supporter of Bratušek's, he was even accused by Janković at the congress of betrayal.

Bratušek is scheduled to meet President Borut Pahor on Tuesday, with media reports suggesting that will be the day when it becomes clear if and when early elections will be held. The time and place of the meeting was unclear in the evening.

Regardless of Bratušek's decision, the coalition appears dead already, according to statements by the coalition partners. Both the coalition and the opposition parties have said they want an early election.