Rally for the Republic

Rally for the Republic (Slovene: Zbor za republiko, ZR) is a Slovenian civil-society organisation and think-tank founded on 23 June 2004 at its first rally. The initiative to establish it was given by 25 first signatories, most of them members of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). It is widely perceived in public life as an umbrella organisation of the centre-right political option, with its core in the SDS. The organisation defines itself not as a forum of individuals seeking to preserve past gains or to prepare advantages for a particular political option, but as an open political structure for an open society. Its founding statement refers to the Slovenian national programme presented in issue 57 of Nova revija (February 1987), the Writers' Constitution (April 1988), the plebiscite for the Slovenian state (December 1990), the new constitution (December 1991), the referendums on Slovenia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration (March 2003) and the start of EU membership (May 2004). It argues that this programme was fully realised only in its institutional frameworks, while in actual relations only partially, and that much unfinished business remains. ZR has organised public rallies and issued statements on judicial and governance issues. A notable rally took place on Congress Square in Ljubljana on 8 February 2013 in support of then Prime Minister Janez Janša, as a counterpoint to the "uprising" protests that demanded the resignation of Janša's government and the entire political elite on the same day. The organisation has also commented on European Commission reports on the state of Slovenian justice and on corruption. Its leadership has included Peter Jambrek (2004–2008), Gregor Virant (2008–2011), Lovro Šturm (2011–2016), France Cukjati (2016–2024) and Janez Remškar (from 2024). The organisation remains active, publishing statements, open letters and event announcements on its website.

Rally for the Republic (Zbor za republiko, ZR) was founded on 23 June 2004 at its first rally. The initiative came from 25 first signatories, most of them members of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). In its founding statement, the organisation positioned itself as an open political structure for an open society, not as a forum for preserving past gains or preparing advantages for a particular political option. It referred to the Slovenian national programme presented in issue 57 of Nova revija (February 1987), the Writers' Constitution (April 1988), the plebiscite for the Slovenian state (December 1990), the new constitution (December 1991), the referendums on European and Euro-Atlantic integration (March 2003) and the start of EU membership (May 2004). It argued that this programme had been fully realised only in institutional frameworks, while in actual relations only partially, leaving much unfinished business. In public life, ZR has been perceived as an umbrella organisation of the centre-right political option, with its core in the SDS. It has organised public rallies and issued statements on judicial and governance issues. A notable rally took place on Congress Square in Ljubljana on 8 February 2013 in support of then Prime Minister Janez Janša, as a counterpoint to the "uprising" protests that demanded the resignation of Janša's government and the entire political elite on the same day. The organisation has also commented on European Commission reports on the state of Slovenian justice and on corruption. Its leadership has included Peter Jambrek (2004–2008), Gregor Virant (2008–2011), Lovro Šturm (2011–2016), France Cukjati (2016–2024) and Janez Remškar (from 2024). The organisation remains active, publishing statements, open letters and event announcements on its website.

• Founded at its first rally by 25 first signatories, mostly members of the Slovenian Democratic Party.

• Peter Jambrek becomes president (2004–2008).

• Gregor Virant becomes president (2008–2011).

• Lovro Šturm becomes president (2011–2016).

• Holds a rally on Congress Square in Ljubljana in support of Prime Minister Janez Janša, countering the "uprising" protests.

• France Cukjati becomes president (2016–2024).

• Janez Remškar becomes president (2024–present).

Open political structure for an open society; umbrella organisation of the centre-right political option with its core in the SDS.

1. 1Zbor za republiko official websitezborzarepubliko.si
2. 2Wikidata: Rally for the Republicwikidata.org
3. 3Zbor za republiko – Wikipedia (Slovenian)sl.wikipedia.org