Polls close in Slovenia's highly contested parliamentary election as governing liberals face right-wing populists

Slovenian voters have cast ballots in a parliamentary election that will determine whether the country's governing liberals retain power or cede ground to right-wing populist challengers. The small EU nation faces a choice between maintaining its centrist political direction or shifting rightward, a decision that reflects broader ideological tensions playing out across Europe. The election outcome will influence Slovenia's approach to key policy areas and its standing within the European Union. Right-wing populist parties have gained traction in recent years across Central and Eastern Europe, making Slovenia's result a closely watched test of whether that momentum continues. Final results are expected to clarify which party or coalition will form the next government and set the country's policy course.