The Slovenian Left and five parties involved in coalition talks signed a cooperation protocol on Friday, paving the way for the appointment of Marjan Sarec as prime minister-designate and for the formation of a minority government, Xinhua reported.
The Left will also provide votes for Social Democrat (SD) president Dejan Zidan, the current deputy prime minister and minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, to become parliamentary speaker, the Slovenian Press Agency STA reported.
"There are no more obstacles ... we have 52 votes," Sarec, a 40-year-old former comedian and mayor whose party came second in the June 3 election, told the local press after the meeting of six parties on Friday.
The Left pledged support for Sarec in the prime minister-designate vote next week, and said it would not vote against his government team in September.
Luka Mesec of the Left confirmed to the press that the protocol provides that Sarec would discuss ministerial candidates with the Left in exchange for the Left not opposing his picks.
Both Sarec and Mesec, however, said that a potential cabinet was not discussed on Friday, said the STA report.
If the formation of a minority government fails, Slovenia is likely to head for a snap election, an option advocated by the June election winner Janez Jansa, whose Democrats (SDS) have been unable to form a government after being outright rejected by the majority of other parties due to the party's radical stance, in particular on migration and human rights.