An artwork on a wall In Ljubljana, Slovenia, on March 19, 2026, depicts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulling strings attached to former Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Jansa, after reports that representatives of an Israeli private intelligence firm had met Jansa at his party headquarters in December 2025. (Borut Zivulovic/REUTERS)Slovenia’s election has been thrown into turmoil by an alleged Israel-linked spy firm, explosive leaked videos and claims of foreign interference.
According to reporting by Politico and other outlets, a series of secretly recorded videos surfaced online in recent weeks, appearing to show individuals linked to Slovenia’s government discussing political connections and potential business dealings. The footage was published on a newly created website and quickly spread across social media, becoming a central issue in the campaign ahead of the March 22 general election.
Those featured in the videos have strongly denied wrongdoing. Several have said the recordings were selectively edited or manipulated to misrepresent conversations. The controversy has deepened after Slovenian media outlet Mladina reported that representatives of Black Cube, an Israeli private intelligence firm, had met opposition leader Janez Janša at his party headquarters in December.
Black Cube has not responded to requests for comment. Janša, a three-time former prime minister and leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), has denied any connection to the firm or to the production of the videos. However, he has also argued that the material exposes alleged corruption within the current government.
The SDS has taken a more provocative tone. In a post on social media platform X, the party said “a monument should be erected” to the Israeli firm for its role in exposing corruption, further fuelling speculation about links between the campaign and external actors.
Prime Minister Robert Golob, whose liberal Freedom Movement party is seeking re-election, has accused “foreign services” of attempting to influence Slovenia’s democratic process. While he has not directly named Black Cube, his remarks reflect growing unease within the government about the origins and timing of the videos.
The episode has injected fresh volatility into what was already shaping up to be a closely contested election. Polls suggest Janša’s SDS holds a narrow lead over Golob’s party, marking a significant shift from the 2022 election, when Golob secured a decisive victory.
Since taking office, Golob’s administration has faced a series of challenges that have eroded its popularity. Allegations of cronyism linked to a Justice Ministry property purchase have drawn criticism, while Golob himself has been investigated by Slovenia’s anti-corruption agency over claims he interfered in police matters—allegations he denies and has pledged to contest in court.
Economic conditions have also weighed on the government. Growth slowed from 2.7% in 2022 to 1.1% last year, adding to voter dissatisfaction and creating an opening for the opposition.
Against this backdrop, the emergence of the videos—and questions about their provenance—has disrupted the campaign narrative. Analysts say the controversy could influence undecided voters, depending on whether they focus more on the allegations contained in the recordings or on concerns about how the material was obtained and disseminated.
Black Cube’s reported involvement has drawn particular scrutiny because of the firm’s history. The company has previously been linked to high-profile operations, including work for Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein aimed at discrediting women who accused him of sexual abuse. In Romania, three individuals associated with the firm received suspended sentences in 2022 for attempting to intimidate members of the judiciary.
The situation in Slovenia also echoes earlier election-related incidents in Europe. Before Hungary’s 2018 election, recordings targeting non-governmental organisations were released in a similar fashion, with Black Cube accused of playing a role. The firm has also been linked to operations involving fake online profiles used to engage activists ahead of Hungary’s 2022 vote, according to reporting cited by The Economist.
For Slovenia, the stakes extend beyond domestic politics. A victory for Janša would add another populist voice within the European Union, potentially aligning the country more closely with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico. During his previous tenure, critics accused Janša of undermining democratic institutions, including press freedom. Freedom House reported that Slovenia experienced the sharpest democratic decline among monitored post-communist countries during that period.
Such a shift could have wider implications for EU decision-making, particularly on issues requiring unanimity, such as financial aid to Ukraine or enforcement of rule-of-law standards.
For now, however, the immediate focus remains on the integrity of Slovenia’s electoral process. The government’s allegations of foreign interference, the opposition’s denials, and the unanswered questions surrounding the videos have combined to create an atmosphere of uncertainty.
As voters prepare to cast their ballots, the controversy underscores a broader dilemma facing democracies: whether the greater threat lies in the content of politically damaging information or in the opaque methods used to obtain and weaponise it.