Slovenian Political Dynamics During the Dictatorship of King Aleksandar Karađorđević and Their Impact on Croatia

The article analyzes the perspectives of the three main Slovenian political factions-the Catholic populists, liberals, and communists-during the period following King Aleksandar Kara & dstrok;or & dstrok;evi & cacute;'s imposition of dictatorship in January 1929 until his assassination in 1934. It identifies key points of divergence in their political agendas, particularly regarding the internal governance of the Kingdom of SCS/Yugoslavia, its international position, and the distinctive political strategies employed to achieve their respective goals. Despite initial positive reactions, the new state regime quickly faced criticism from the largest Slovenian political faction, the Slovenian People's Party. This dissatisfaction culminated in the form of the Ljubljana Points, which primarily demanded the unification of Slovenians within Yugoslavia into a single political entity capable of attracting Slovenians from neighboring countries. From the Belgrade perspective, this criticism was seen as a potential threat to the stability of the western regions of the country and to relations with Italy and Austria. Slovenian liberals replaced the Catholic People's Party in the government, viewing this as an opportunity to assert political primacy in Slovenian regions. However, the average Slovenian was not inclined to support the idea of a unified Yugoslav nation. In contrast, Slovenian communists recognized the strong resonance of the national question among the Slovenian population. Their political tactics included criticizing Greater Serbian ideology and advocating for the right to self-determination for the Slovenian people. From a strategic perspective, the communists integrated this approach into their broader vision of a 'voluntary Yugoslav federation,' seeking to reconcile the sovereignty of individual South Slavic nations with the Yugoslav geopolitical framework. This dynamic within Slovenian politics had a relatively positive influence on the position of Croats, bolstering their efforts to redefine their status within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.