New government approved in Slovenia

The Slovenian parliament has put an end to two months of political uncertainty by approving a new government headed by the conservative prime minister, Andrej Bajuk.

The cabinet was elected by forty-six votes to forty-four, after failing to win enough support in a first vote two weeks ago.

A general election is due in October or November. Mr Bajuk, who's deputy president of the SLS and SKD Slovenian People's Party, formed a coalition with the centre-right Social Democrats, to hold forty four of the ninety seats in parliament. Correspondents say the political crisis, which began in April when former centre-left premier Janez Drnovsek lost his majority, has caused concern among some western governments, who see the country as a role model of stability in the Balkans.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service