Positive Slovenia

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Positive Slovenia (Pozitivna Slovenija, PS) was a centre-left political party in Slovenia. It was led by founder Zoran Janković and started as Zoran Janković's List – Positive Slovenia. The party was formed on 22 October 2011 after a split from Zares and the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia, and it was based in Ljubljana. Its ideology combined social liberalism and social democracy, placing it in the centre to centre-left of the political spectrum. In 2014 it joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

In the 2011 early parliamentary election, Positive Slovenia won the most votes with about 28.5% and gained 28 seats, the largest share for any party. Janković was seen as a likely prime minister, and PS began coalition talks with other parties. However, one potential partner, Gregor Virant’s Civic List, withdrew and supported a centre-right government, leaving PS in opposition.

In 2013, following corruption allegations, Janković was temporarily suspended from his functions. Alenka Bratušek became the party chairwoman and led PS as it pushed to dismiss Prime Minister Janez Janša’s government. Bratušek then became Slovenia’s first female prime minister, and PS served as a leading party of the government for a time.

In 2014 PS applied to join ALDE, but later withdrew from the process. Zoran Janković was re-elected as party president, which caused a split in the parliamentary group: several deputies broke away, while others stayed with PS. A separate party, Alliance of Alenka Bratušek, was formed by Bratušek’s supporters. PS then faced electoral setbacks: in the 2014 European Parliament elections it won about 6.6% and sent no MEPs, and in the 2014 parliamentary elections it received around 3% and again won no seats.

PS did not contest the 2018 parliamentary election or subsequent elections. The party was officially dissolved in 2024.