Anton Korošec

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Anton Korošec (May 12, 1872, Biserjane/Wisserian, Styria, then in Austria-Hungary but now part of Slovenia - December 14, 1940, Belgrade) was a Slovenian political leader, a prominent member of the conservative Populist Party, a Jesuit priest and a noted orator. Following the end of World War I, and subsequent dissolution of the Austria-Hungary, he was involved in the creation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, where he served as president of its National Council. The State failed to receive international recognition, making it vulnerable to feared Italian expansion on the north-eastern coast of the Adriatic sea. Korošec then led the delegation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs in negotiations with the Kingdom of Serbia to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in December 1918. His disinclination for an Italian domination thus outweighed his disinclination for a Serbian one.

He served as Prime Minister of the new Kingdom from July 1928 to January 1929. His term was marked by ethnic tension, particularly between Serbians and Croatians. Korošec's government could do little to improve the situation, and he left office when the king dissolved parliament in January 1929 and changed the name of the country to Kingdom of Yugoslavia.