Slovenia goes to polls in election marked by claims of anti-Romany rhetoric

Centre-left Robert Golob and rightwing populist Janez Janša are frontrunners in contest after polarised campaign Campaigners in Slovenia warned of a surge in anti-Romany rhetoric as the country headed to the polls on Sunday, leaving many bracing for the outcome of a vote that has become, in part, a referendum on how the country treats its most marginalised. In Sunday’s vote, the prime minister, Robert Golob, of the centre-left Freedom Movement party, faced off against the rightwing populist and Donald Trump ally Janez Janša. Preliminary results on Sunday evening showed liberals and opposition rightwing populists were neck and neck, heralding a period of political uncertainty in the small EU country. Both Golob’s and Janša’s parties won a little over 28% of the vote, the state election commission said after counting 97% of the ballots. In the months leading up to the elections, much of the focus has been on access to public services, including healthcare, and accusations of graft. Questions of social policy have also threaded through the campaign, with campaigners accusing both Golob and Janša of scapegoating the country’s Romany minority. Golob’s government was accused last year of