The race for parliamentary elections in Slovenia has been rocked by an espionage scandal involving opposition leader Janez Janša, who according to polls was in the lead to return to power.
According to reports and analysis published by The Economist, the election campaign has been overshadowed by allegations that Janša met in December with representatives of the Israeli private intelligence company Black Cube, known for covert operations and controversial investigations in several countries. 
The scandal erupted on the eve of the elections and has raised concerns about possible interference by foreign actors in Slovenian politics. According to reports, secret videos and compromising materials that circulated during the campaign have increased suspicions of organized operations to influence the outcome of the vote. 
Janša, a dominant figure in Slovenian politics since the country's independence in 1991 and a former three-term prime minister, is running against the party of incumbent Prime Minister Robert Golob. Polls show a very close race between Janša's Democratic Party of Slovenia and Golob's liberal Svoboda movement. 
Analysts warn that the election result could determine the country's political direction: either a continuation of the current government's liberal, pro-EU course, or a turn toward a more national-conservative line similar to that of some governments in Central Europe. 
The elections are considered among the most important for Slovenia's political future since its independence.
