Delegates of the 11th electoral congress of Social Democrats (SD) have bestowed the second mandateas the party leader on Dejan Židan, while Matjaž Nemec, Jernej Pikalo, Tanja Fajon and Andreja Katič were elected vice presidents.

Some members of the party have also raised warnings that the goals of the party could not be achieved by moving to the political centre and away from social democracy. In the opinion of the old new president, Dejan Židan, SD's shift a few years ago towards the centre was not the right decision: "We are not a central party, we are not a liberal party. We are a party based on solidarity and protection of those who find themselves difficult living conditions, but we understand that the state needs a strong economy for its own development," Židan put it clearly.

Preparing for local elections
The congress, organised under the motto of Slovenia of Equal Opportunities, also serves as preparation for the start of the campaign before local elections. SD currently has 21 mayors and mayoresses in its ranks. According to Dejan Levanič, the party's secretary general, they hope that the result will at least be repeated if not improved. Social democrats do not hide the desire to regain its former position of the leading party on the left political pole, reported Nataša Mulec, journalist of Radio Slovenia.