PRESS RELEASE Slovenian Parliamentary Elections 2018: Janša vs Janša

In 2007, three Slovenian artists joined the conservative Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and then changed their names to that of the Prime Minister of at the time, and president of the party, Janez Janša. Now, for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections in Slovenia, one of them is running in the politician’s home electoral district for the anticapitalist party Levica ().

Janša challenges Janša in his home district In 2007, three Slovenian artists joined the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and then changed their names to that of the Prime Minister of Slovenia at the time, and president of the party, Janez Janša. In the upcoming parliamentary elections, which will be held on 3 June 2018, Janez Janša will run, as per tradition, in Grosuplje, his hometown, where in 2014 he won over 35% of the vote, significantly above his party’s nationwide result (20.7%). But this time he will not be the only Janez Janša running in Grosuplje as the opposition party Levica (The Left) has decided to field one of the artists in the same district. ​

Capital has no interest either for society, or for art or for the individual The challenger candidate is a socially active and engaged individual, not only through his professional work as an artist, but through social activism as well.

Janez Janša: “Running for parliament is a logical consequence of the view I have ​ towards society. I care about what is happening. I react to things. I want to change them. (...) Society must be organized in such a way that the state begins to serve its citizens, as opposed to serving capital. Capital has no interest either for society, or for art or for the individual.”

→ Watch the full statement HERE ← ​ ​

In Grosuplje, voters will choose between two Janšas and two different political paradigms Therefore in the largest Slovenian county the Grosuplje voters will be able to choose between two different Janšas on the ballot: one will be running for parliament with the conservative party SDS, while the other will appear on the progressive electoral list of The Left party. ​ ​

In this context a billboard for the political campaign of the progressive candidate has appeared in Grosuplje, in which three artists are depicted in the visual identity similar to that of the SDS party and accompanied by the slogan “Old name, new faces”. Janša’s message is thus clear, we need a radical change in politics, one that could not possibly be further from the politics advocated by SDS and the rest of the political establishment.

→ Watch the TV Report by Pop TV HERE ← ​ ​ The video included was created exclusively for the purpose of informing the public. For the original news report, see HERE. Usage rights held by POP TV. ​ ​

Who is the original Janša? Nova24TV, the Slovenian right-wing media outlet, which in gave voice to ​ sustainers in the recent past and often publishes anti-immigration and anti-Islamic articles, tried to discredit the artist in an article entitled “Why would you vote for a fake if you can get ​ the original?” to which the candidate of The Left party answered by claiming he is entitled to ​

the use of the name Janez Janša as he has obtained this name through a legal name change, while the right-wing politician, whose legal name is Ivan Janša, has never done that. The new candidate posted a photo of himself holding a valid ID card with the name Janez Janša and asked the leader of the SDS party if he is able to do the same.

Notes to the Editor

- Photos for free download, - video Janez Janša candidate for The Left (Pop TV 27.4.2018), ​ ​ - video statement by the candidate of The Left Janez Janša

→ AVAILABLE HERE ← ​ ​

Contact

Dragan Nikčević, Chief Communications Officer, Levica [email protected]