While Cerar, who is attending the EU jobs summit in Milan, did not wish to speak of any names yet, he announced that consultations would already start tonight. A decision on the new candidate needs to be known in the coming days, he added.

Although Cerar had not been happy about his predecessor's self-nomination for commissioner, he expressed regret for the Slovenian press that Bratušek was rejected, pointing out that Slovenia would have gotten the high-level post of vice-president of the European Commission for the energy union had she succeeded.

He did not wish to speculate on whether Slovenia will be able to preserve the candidacy for the vice-presidential post to which Bratušek was nominated by president-elect of the new European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. He announced he would make inquiries about the situation in the coming days.

Cerar said that his party would of course also look for a new candidate, while consultations will have to be held with coalition partners as well.

Asked whether Violeta Bulc, a political novice from the ranks of the Miro Cerar Party who recently became minister of development, strategic projects and cohesion, is a possible candidate, Cerar said it was too early to talk about names.

Along with Bulc, media have been mentioning at least three more potential replacements for Bratušek: MEP Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD), who was one of the three commissioner candidates the Bratušek government put on a list for Juncker to pick from, Slovenia's outgoing commissioner Janez Potočnik, and Romana Jordan, a former MEP for the Democrats (SDS) and the EPP.

Former PM Bratušek's candidacy for vice-president of the European Commission for the energy union was rejected today by the European Parliament's industry and environment committees (ITRE and ENVI) after her disappointing performance at Monday's hearing. Only 13 members voted in favour, while 122 were against and two abstained.