Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Socialist Republic of Slovenia Socialistična republika Slovenija
Constituent republic of Yugoslavia
←   ←   ←   ← 1945–1991 →
Flag Emblem
Anthem Naprej, zastava slave Forward, Flag of Glory
Slovenia within Yugoslavia
Capital		Ljubljana
Government		Socialist republic
Historical era		Cold War
•	SNOS	19 February 1945
•	Referendum	23 December 1990
•	Independence declared	25 July 1991
Area
•	1991	20,246 km2 (7,817 sq mi)
Population
•	1991	1,913,355
	Density	94.5 /km2  (244.8 /sq mi)

The Socialist Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: Socialistična republika Slovenija; Serbo-Croatian: Socijalistička Republika Slovenija) was one of the 6 republics forming the post-World War II country of Yugoslavia. It existed under different names from 29 November 1945 until 25 June 1991. In 1990, while the country was still a part of the Yugoslav federation, the League of Communists of Slovenia allowed for the establishment of other political parties, which led to the democratization of the country. The official name of the republic was Federal Slovenia (Federalna Slovenija) until 20 February 1946, when it was renamed to the People's Republic of Slovenia (Ljudska republika Slovenija). It retained this name until 9 April 1963, when it was again renamed, to Socialist Republic of Slovenia. On 8 March 1990, the Socialist Republic of Slovenia removed the prefix "Socialist" from its name, becoming the Republic of Slovenia, though remaining a constituent state of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until 25 June 1991, when it enacted the laws resulting in independence.

Towards independence

Main article: History of Slovenia

In September 1989, numerous constitutional amendments were passed by the Assembly, which introduced parliamentary democracy to the country. The same year Action North united both the opposition and democratized communist establishment in Slovenia as the first defense action against Milošević's supporters attacks, leading to Slovenian independence.

The word 'Socialist' was removed from the name of the then state on 7 March 1990. The socialist infrastructure was largely dissolved. The first open democratic election was held on 8 April 1990. The parliamentary elections were won by the opposition, known as the DEMOS coalition led by the dissident Jože Pučnik. At the same time, Milan Kučan, the former chairman of the League of Communists of Slovenia (ZKS), was elected President of the Republic. The democratically elected parliament nominated the Christian Democratic leader Lojze Peterle as Prime Minister, which effectively ended the 45-year-long rule of the Communist Party. During this period, Slovenia retained its old flag and coat of arms, and most of the previous symbols as it awaited the creation of new symbols that would eventually come after independence. The old national anthem, Naprej zastava slave was however replaced by the Zdravljica already in March 1990.

On 23 December 1990, a referendum on independence was held in Slovenia, at which 94.8% of the voters (88.5% of the overall electorate) voted in favour of secession of Slovenia from Yugoslavia. On 25 June 1991, the acts about the Slovenian independence were passed by the Assembly. Following a short Ten-Day War, the military of Slovenia secured its independence; by the end of the year, its independence was recognized by the wider international community.