Podobnik's Signature Key Step to Merger?

Ljubljana, 23 February - The leader of the Slovene People's Party (SLS) and Deputy Prime Minister Marjan Podobnik has unexpectedly signed minutes of unanimously passed decisions made at a meeting between the SLS and the Slovene Christian Democrats (SKD) last week. The agreement leads to the merger of the two parties and SLS's withdrawal from the government (which it forms in a coalition with the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia - LDS), while the combined party would later enter the Coalition Slovenia with the Social Democrats (SDS).