Slovenian PM Resigns, Opens Way for Snap Polls
Slovenia's Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek resigned on Monday after losing her party's leadership, opening the way for the troubled eurozone country's second early election in three years.
Bratusek posted her resignation letter on her Facebook page, adding in a separate comment that if the coalition parties supported a snap vote, "we'll go to elections before the summer."
On Saturday, she said the parties had agreed to hold early elections, with a provisional date of June 22. Legal experts, however, said such an early date might not be possible under the Slovenian system.
Bratusek, 44, took over as Slovenia's first female prime minister in March 2013 as the country teetered on the brink of a bailout.
She managed to recapitalize the country's state-owned banks without seeking external aid, but faced criticism because the move increased the public debt to 71.7 percent of gross domestic product.
Her government held power for just 13 months and is the third in a row to step down before the end of its mandate.
A new candidate for prime minister can be proposed in the next 30 days by the country's president, a parliamentary party or a group of at least 10 MPs.
But if no agreement can be reached on a new candidate, the president can call early elections at 40 days' notice.
Bratusek was toppled from the leadership of the center-left Positive Slovenija (PS) party by Ljubljana mayor Zoran Jankovic, who had to step down last year over corruption accusations.
Source: Agence France Presse
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