Democrats (Slovenia)
The Democrats is a Slovenian political party founded by Anže Logar, a long-time member of the Slovenian Democratic Party and former foreign minister. The party's founding congress took place on 16 November 2024 in Maribor, where Logar was elected president of the party.
History
Background
After the 2022 presidential election, there was speculation about the future path of Anže Logar, not least because he had won more votes than his SDS party in that year's parliamentary election. On 13 November 2022, after the second round had concluded, Logar said: "Today we are at the beginning of something big". There were rumors that Logar would found his own party, but in the spring of 2023 he announced the founding of the "Cooperation Platform" association.On 24 November 2023, Logar resigned from the position of president of the SDS Council, emphasizing in a press statement that he would direct his efforts to the Cooperation Platform. On 6 December 2023, the SDS executive committee assessed that everything indicated that Logar would establish his own party, and SDS expected that the deputies elected on its list would respect the will of the voters and finish their mandate in accordance with the SDS mandate. The executive committee did not expel Anže Logar from the party, but it assessed that "further appearances and positions of MP Anže Logar can no longer be automatically considered SDS positions, but positions of a new party in the making".
On 9 October 2024, Logar sent his resignation from the SDS to party president Janez Janša, and a day later announced the creation of a new party by the end of 2024. Eva Irgl also announced her joining the party. MP Dejan Kaloh, who also left SDS, denied joining Logar's party. Kaloh later founded his own party, Suvereni, on 20 June 2025.
Establishment
On 24 October 2024, Logar revealed that the party will be called the Democrats, as the name "emphasises the political breadth that the party wants to represent on the new path".The congress of the new party was held on 16 November 2024 in Maribor. It approved the program and charter, and elected other party bodies. In his speech, Party President Logar emphasized that "the state and politics must serve the people" and announced the creation of a "large program coalition", naming political breadth and the fight against corruption as his priorities.
Programme
Domestic policyHealthcare
The Democrats' vision for public health focuses on equity, accessibility and efficiency, with an emphasis on quality care, modern technology and transparent management. It includes the introduction of health regions to adapt services by region, improve accessibility and reduce waiting times. Improving the organization includes managing waiting lists, coordinating between health levels and introducing new capacities through the construction of facilities and mobile units for remote regions. The management reform will reduce administrative burdens for greater efficiency. Prevention will be strengthened with increased funding for disease prevention programs, national examinations and a digital center for analyzing health conditions. Digitalization will bring full digitization of records, telemedicine, the use of AI and partnerships for advanced solutions. Mental health will be integrated into policies as an important investment in the future.
Justice
The Democrats welcome a complete reform of the judiciary in Slovenia. This includes a revamp of the judicial system by abolishing district courts to simplify the structure, improving efficiency by introducing a cabinet system, increasing support staff, regulating judges' salaries and professionalizing the Judicial Council; a personnel policy that promotes meritocracy, selection of the best management personnel and appointment of judges by the President of the Republic upon the proposal of the Judicial Council; digitalization to improve the accessibility of judicial decisions and oversight of procedures; and increasing access to justice, especially for vulnerable groups.
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