Reuters/AFP

Ljubljana

Centre-left political novice Miro Cerar led his party to victory in a parliamentary election in Slovenia yesterday, according to results of an exit poll, leaving him seeking partners to share the quest of fixing the country’s finances.

The exit poll by POP TV, published as voting ended at 7pm (1700 GMT), gave Cerar’s SMC party 36.9%, ahead of the centre-right SDS on 19.2% and the Desus pensioners’ party on 9.7%.

Official results were due later.

Several smaller centre-left parties, including that of outgoing Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek, also crossed the threshold to enter parliament, giving Cerar several options for a coalition government.

The exit poll, if confirmed by official results, means Cerar will likely form Slovenia’s fourth government since the financial crisis in 2008 shredded the country’s reputation as the best economic performer among the European Union’s newer, mainly ex-communist, members.

The former Yugoslav republic narrowly avoided having to seek an international bailout for its banks late last year, and is now working through a raft of crisis measures agreed with the EU to reduce its budget deficit and remake an economy heavily controlled by the state.

Investors are still nervous about the fate of that package, particularly given Cerar’s reluctance to sell some of Slovenia’s biggest state assets, such as telecoms provider Telekom Slovenia and the international airport, Aerodrom Ljubljana.

Analysts predict that any new government will not last long, spelling further instability for the nation with a population of 2mn, which only narrowly avoided seeking an international bailout last year.

The election date was set after prime minister Bratusek resigned in May, having lost the support of her centre-left Positive Slovenia (PS) party, and with main parties wanting to have a government in place before the autumn.