Milan Kučan

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Milan Kučan (January 14, 1941 - ) is a Slovene politician and statesman. He was leader of the League of Communists and the first President of Slovenia.

[edit] Early life and political beginnings

Kučan was born in Križevci, Slovenia, a village in Prekmurje, northeastern Slovenia (at that time a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia). During the WWII, he was one of the many Slovenian children who took refuge in Serbia.

He became the leader of the League of Communists of Slovenia in 1986. At the time liberal and democratic - as well as nationalist and separatist - sentiment was growing in Slovenia. In 1989 Slovenia passed amendments to its constitution that asserted its sovereignty over the federation and its right to secede. These amendments were opposed by the leadership of Serbia under Slobodan Milošević. On 23 January 1990, Kučan led the Slovene delegation in leaving the Party Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, leading to the collapse of the all-Yugoslav party. Shortly after, the League of Communists of Slovenia changed its name to the Party of Democratic Reform.

[edit] Political career

Slovenia was the first of the federal units of Yugoslavia to introduce multi-party democracy and the first multi-party elections were held in April 1990. Kučan was elected Slovenia's president. He was not a strong supporter of an independent Slovenia and he pursued a policy of transforming Yugoslavia into a loose confederation^{[citation needed]}, which was not successful and the country became independent of Yugoslavia. A referendum on 23 December 1990 resulted in an 88,5 % majority for independence.

Independence was declared on 26 June 1991 and Kučan said in a speech: "Today are the dreams allowed, tomorrow is a new day." A short war against the Yugoslav Army resulted, from 27 June to 4 July, after which Slovenia was allowed to remain independent. After independence, Kučan was popularly elected as the President of Slovenia as an independent candidate with the support of the former League of Communists. He won another five year term in 1997, running as an independent and winning a majority in the first round, in a field of seven candidates.

His presidency ended in 2002. During his time as president, he was a member of the Social Democrats. He was succeeded as President by Janez Drnovšek.

Kučan is married to Štefka Kučan.

[edit] External links

President of the Republic of Slovenia, archived pages

Preceded by Andrej Marinc	Chairman of the League of Communists of Slovenia 1986–1990	Succeeded by Position Abolished
Preceded by Janez Stanovnik as President of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia	President of Slovenia 1990–2002	Succeeded by Janez Drnovšek