Referendum | SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY

Will Zoran Janković Finally Meet His Match?

Ljubljana mayor Zoran Janković is about to enter the wildest four months of his political career. On Sunday, the good people of Ljubljana (dubbed Ljubljanchans at some point on this blog) will vote in a referendum on a parking ordnance this coming Sunday. Exactly four months later, that same crowd will vote in local elections. In both cases, mayor Janković is, surprisingly (perhaps even to himself), forced to fight some rearguard action.

Zoran Jankovič and Tone Rop in a hot-mic moment, where Rop snaps at Janković, saying that if it weren't for him, Janković would never have become CEO of Mercator retail chain. — *Tone Rop being pissed off at Zoran Jankovič back in 2002 (source)*

The parking ordnance referendum simply refused to go away, despite Zoki’s legal maneuvering. In addition, he also seems to have finally drawn a worthy challenger in the autumn election. While names like Luka Mesec and Urška Klakočar Zupančič are being tested and retested as potential candidates, the one name that probably really rattled the mayor’s cage is former PM Tone Rop.

10 Takeaways From Assisted Dying Referendum Whoopass

On Sunday, Slovenians rejected the law on assisted dying. When the referendum dust settled, the NO campaign of Aleš Primc and a host of other organisations pulled in a respectable 54 % of the vote amid a near-historic 41% turnout. This means they easily cleared both hurdles needed for rejection of the law. They won a majority which also represented more than 20% of all eligible voters.

The final results of the referendum vote on the law on assisted dying. — *The final referendum tally (source: DVK)*

To say that the result came as a shock to many in the YES camp would be an understatement. Going into the final days of the campaign, proponents of the law were oozing optimism backed by some very favourable polling. But then the numbers started rolling in. Pengovsky didn’t share this optimism to begin with, so here are ten takeaways from the Sunday whoopass.

Referendum On Assisted Dying

On Sunday, the good people of Muddy Hollows will vote in a referendum on assisted dying. But pengovsky, either reader might exclaim, didn’t you guys already vote on that some time ago? The answer to which is, yes, yes we did. And now we’re doing it again. Only this time shit got dead serious.

Back in June 2024, in conjunction with the EU elections in Slovenia the people voted in four referendums as well. One of those votes was on whether this sorry little excuse for a country should formalise the right to assisted dying. Somewhat surprisingly, the people supported the idea. Even more surprisingly, the coalition decided that it is a good idea to pass the law eight months before the elections. But a grand total of zero people were surprised when Aleš Primc announced (and secured) a referendum challenge.

Stupid Before The Storm: Mother Of All Walkbacks

Slowly, with the speed of a decrepit snail on valium, pengovsky is bringing this blog up to speed all the stupid that happened in the lull before the campaign storm. And at last, we get to take a look at the NATO near-miss that made everyone look up and ask whether Slovenian political class really is capable of handling this sovereign state thingy.

NATO and Muddy Hollows. because pengovsky couldn't be bothered with yet another picture of PM Golob to represent the mother of all walkbacks — *NATO and Muddy Hollows. because pengovsky couldn’t be bothered with yet another picture of PM Golob*

As everyone knows by now, there will not be a referendum on Slovenian NATO membership. There will not even be a referendum on defence spending resolution. In fact, six weeks after nearly sleepwalking into a clusterfuck of epic proportions, people involved are pretending like the whole thing never happened.

Somehow, Robert Golob Made Slovenian NATO Shit-Show Even Worse

Some men are born great. Others achieve greatness. But some are just stupid little shits willing to put national security at stake in a coalition pissing contest. This, is in essence is what Robert Golob surprise announcement of a NATO membership referendum boils down to. There’s a backstory to it, obviously. But for starters suffice it to say the highlight of Friday’s shit-show was entirely due to Robert Golob’s fragile ego.

PM Robert Golob during NATO summing in The Hague. In Slovenia he is looking down the barrel of yt another referendum. This time on defence spending and NATO. — *PM Robert Golob during NATO summing in The Hague (source)*

First, the SDS (predictably) outmanouvered him in the parliament. Then, the SD (also predictably) hung him out to dry on 5% defence spending referendum. And then the Big Bird flew (!) off the handle and made the whole shit-show even worse by calling for a referendum on NATO membership. Talk about shooting your balls off just to prove a point.

Coalition Loses Arts Referendum

That sound you hear right now is the sound of a can of whoop-ass being opened on the Golob government. In today’s referendum, the SDS-backed NO vote won with as much as 93 percent of the vote, which is about as clear a result as you can get. The coalition gambled by calling for a vote boycott and lost. Bigly.

Referendum ballot in today's vote on artists' pension bonuses — *Referendum ballot*

Maybe now Levica and GS will finally learn that calling for electoral boycotts is not really their thing. True, this referendum was an uphill battle for them from the start. But by choosing not to play and hoping for the best is not a strategy, either.

Art Pensions Referendum: Has The Coalition Even Said Thank You To US Embassy Once?

In four days this sorry little excuse for a country will vote on a referendum that is fucking bizarre. Namely, the question at hand is whether outstanding artists should get a state-funded bonus to their pensions after retirement. Things got even bizarre-er when the US embassy in Ljubljana waded in on the issue.

US Embassy in Slovenia tweeted a quote by J.D. Vance and waded into a referendum campaign on art pensions. — *Screenshot of the offending US Embassy Tweet (source)*

The provision on pensions has been on the books for nearly five decades. Since 19-goddamn-74, to be precise. Golob government, specifically Levica coordinatrix Asta Vrečko, sought to update it and fix some loopholes. But the SDS never met a referendum opportunity it didn’t like and so they went all in.