Winner of Slovenia vote hopes to form government by mid-June

The winner of last weekend parliamentary vote in Slovenia says he hopes to have a new government formed by mid-June

The winner of last weekend's parliamentary election in Slovenia said Tuesday he hopes to have a new government formed by mid-June.

Robert Golob, the leader of the Freedom Movement party, spoke after meeting with President Borut Pahor. The meeting was Golob’s first public appearance since he had tested positive for COVID-19 days before Sunday's vote.

Golob, a former business executive who only entered politics several months ago, is set to become Slovenia's next prime minister. Golob's Freedom Movement convincingly won the election, defeating the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party of current Prime Minister Janez Jansa.

Freedom Movement, a liberal-green party, is expected to form a coalition government with two other center-left groups: the Social Democrats and the Left party.

Only five parties have made it over the 4% threshold in the election in the small European Union nation of 2 million people.

Golob said he would like to have an “operational” government before the start of summer holiday season. He added he would seek wider support for what he described as “restructuring” in the country for the next decade.

“We have to carry out an internal reform,” Golob said. “We will try to reach a national agreement for the new era in Slovenia.”

Jansa, the outgoing prime minister, has faced accusations of curbing civic liberties and pushing traditionally moderate Slovenia to the right.