The Slovenian National Assembly endorsed Janez Jansa, leader of the centre-right Democrats (SDS), for prime minister-elect by 51 votes to 39 on Saturday, opening the door for Slovenia to get a full-fledged government after weeks of political deadlock in the wake of early elections.

Jansa, who was sworn in immediately, now has two weeks to put forward candidates for cabinet posts, who must be confirmed in a separate vote in the National Assembly. If his cabinet is confirmed, the 53-year-old Jansa will become the prime minister of the tenth Slovenian government. It will be his second stint as PM, after he led a centre-right government in the 2004-2008 term.

Jansa's appointment comes days after the SDS signed a coalition agreement with the Virant List, People's Party (SLS), Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and New Slovenia (NSi) on a "crisis-busting coalition", giving him 50 MPs in the 90-seat legislature.

While Jansa's SDS emerged second in the early elections, he formed the centre-right coalition after the leader of the election winner Positive Slovenia (PS), Zoran Jankovic, failed to secure a majority in parliament on 11 January.