…nothing to do with ideology this time, it’s only a relation in terms of design. The new presidential campaign of Lojze Peterle features a quite pleasant combination of colours and design. Above all, the photoshopped face of Lojze comes out similar to the famous outline of Che Guevara.
But besides design issues. I will write an update on the Slovenian elections a bit later, for now just the basics. There are 3 serious candidates that stand a chance of getting elected: Lojze Peterle (former Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and currently MEP, centre-right conservative), Danilo Türk (former Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs during several years of Kofi Annan, centre-left, backed by Social Democrats mainly) and Mitja Gaspari (former Minister of Finance and Governor of the Central Bank, backed mainly by the Liberal Democrats).
There are several funny things about the campaign already in the press, with nice slogans from all the sides and stories of their families etc. Peterle started very early the campaign, last October, outpacing everyone a bit. The left has been left a bit in disarray especially due to the long “pondering” of the right option by Borut Pahor, leader of the Social Democrats, now the party leading the polls. Pahor kept everyone waiting for so long that most of us were fed up. But even most importantly, his long lasting self-evaluation and consultations, left little space for a credible candidate to come out strongly. Türk was afterwards his candidate, although he claims to have wider support and wants to present himself as a neutral candidate. But all came as vary un-natural, although he surprised me as a very friendly, down-to-earth guy.
Gaspari makes me wonder. He’s good, still gives the impression of being a credible and competent man, but I keep on wonder why he actually runs (putting aside the normal self-promotion and a bit of promotion for the Liberal Democrats). He seems to have basically no chance to win, although he might get a nice percentage. It might just be that he has some plans linked to the future of LDS? Katarina Kresal will not be there forever and if he does not want Janez Potočnik to come back from Brussels and take over, he should do it himself.
Peterle leads a bit in the polls, but not so signifantly as to secure himself a win in the first round. The second round will thus most probably see him facing Türk.
P.S.: There is also a wide selection of other very bizzare candidates. Everything from a Peacehiker (!) to a drunk former columnist of a female magazine (I actually liked the guy before…)…Worth checking, but I couldn’t bother, really.
Marko Bucik 