Slovenia elections: Borut Pahor wins presidential vote

Facing rising unemployment and a shrinking economy, former prime minister Borut Pahor won presidential elections in Slovenia today.

A member of the opposition Social Democrat party, Pahor won two-thirds of the vote over incumbent Danilo Turk.

"There is almost no problem that we cannot solve together," said Pahor.

"It is my proposal that we reach a political agreement of all parliamentary parties," he added, Reuters reported.

Pahor is a 49-year-old, left-leaning politician who was prime minister from 2008 to 2011.

The office of president is largely ceremonial, Reuters said, but it comes with increasing importance as Slovenia attempts to avoid becoming the latest European nation to look for a financial bailout.

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More protests are said to be happening on Monday.

Once an economic beacon for other euro zone countries, Slovenia's economy is sliding into disrepair, BBC said.

Proposed cuts to wages and social programs sparked protests on Friday that resulted in dozens of injuries and 15 arrests.

Economic output in Slovenia has dropped 8 percent in four years while the government refutes accusations of corruption.

Unemployment now stands at about 12 percent, The Associated Press reported.

Slovenia is a nation of 2 million people that broke off from the former Yugoslavia in 1990.

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