Slovenia cancels NATO referendum amid rising defence cost backlash

2 min read Slovenia, NATO, Robert Golob, Freedom Movement, Levica, the Social Democrats, Slovenian Democratic Party, Slovenian Defence Ministry, University of Ljubljana, Jelena Juvan, Matjaz Nemec, Andrej Babis, The Financial Times

The Slovenian referendum cancellations should stabilise Golob’s coalition, ahead of national elections in 2026. However, the episode reflects wider unease across CEE, as rising military costs challenge domestic politics and expose diverging visions of NATO’s future.