Slovenia - 2012
Are there political parties that express racist or xenophobic sentiments/discourse in the form of hate speech or promote an anti-migrant and/or anti-minority agenda?
- Code:
- RED33
- Key Area:
- Political Parties-organisations - Racist & Xenophobic Discourse
- Strand(s):
- Racism
| Short Answer |
Yes. The presence of the extreme political parties that promote nationalism and xenophobia was more obvious in 1990s. Later, most of these extreme parties disappeared from the political scene. Still, one of them, the Slovenian National Party (SNS) has been since 1992 until last elections in December 2011 represented in the Parliament. Also, xenophobic and racist discourse in its subtle form has been integrated in the work of allegedly centrist/moderate political parties. |
| Qualitative Info |
The party that has openly promoted nationalist, xenophobic and racist attitudes through its presence in the Parliament and in the mainstream media is the Slovenian National Party (SNS). It is led by Zmago Jelincic, known for use of extreme nationalist, populist, sometimes militant rhetoric. As a candidate for the President of Slovenia he gained in the first round of 2007 presidential elections more than 19% of votes. The main targets of xenophobic and racist discourse of that, and other nationalist parties in Slovenia, are the people from other former republics of Yugoslavia and Roma, but also Muslims, GLBT and other minority groups. The Slovenian National Party for instance submitted to the Parliament a bill in 2007 denying minority protection to the Roma community. At the parliamentary elections in December 2011 the party didn't reach the treshold. Still, the parties considered right centrist, such a Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS, led by Janez Jansa), being one of the leading parties, integrated subtle forms of xenophobia and racism in its arguments and policy, contributing to its mainistreaming. During the government led by that party, (2004-2008) the case of forced expulsion of Roma family Strojan and demolishion of their village happened. Also, on local level various allegedly centrist parties deny Roma rights, for instance in one of the municipalities (Grosuplje) it was not possible for several years for Roma community to elect its representative in the municipality council despite provisions in national legislation, since majority of political parties' representatives in the municipality council didn't agree with solutions in the national legislation. On local level there was in 2008 an initiative in the City of Ljubljana by a small political group represented in the city council to stop adoption of urban plan which provides space for building the mosque. A member of the city council Mihael Jarc requested referendum raising the issue of architecture and size of minaret , but the initiative was refused by the mayor of the city. Sources: Racist extremism in Central and Eastern Europe, chapter on Slovenia by Tomaz Trplan, Routledge, 2005. List of political parties in Slovenia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Slovenia, Date of access: 20.12.2011. Ljubljana Mosque, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ljubljana_Mosque, Date of access: 20.12.2011. |
| Represented in government/parliament? | No, the Slovenian National Party gained 1,80% of votes, not reaching the threshold of 4% at the 2011 parliamentary elections. |
| Groups affected/interested | Roma & Travelers, Muslims, Ethnic minorities, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender |
| Type (R/D) | Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Islamophobia, Anti-roma/zinghanophobia, Nationalism, Homophobia |
| Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas | Political discourse -parties - orgs |
| External Url | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Slovenia |
| Situation(s) |
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