Dimitrij Rupel
Career in national politics
### Career in national politics

Together with other Slovene intellectuals in the 1980s, initiated and edited the alternative and dissident journal *[Nova Revija](/wiki/Nova_revija_%28magazine%29 "Nova revija (magazine)")*, which later became the platform for democratic reform in the [Socialist Republic of Slovenia](/wiki/Socialist_Republic_of_Slovenia "Socialist Republic of Slovenia").

In 1987, he was among the authors of the [Contributions to the Slovenian National Program](/wiki/Contributions_to_the_Slovenian_National_Program "Contributions to the Slovenian National Program"), an intellectual manifesto that demanded a democratic, pluralistic and sovereign Slovenian state. The publication of the manifesto by the journal *Nova revija*, edited by Rupel, caused a huge scandal in Yugoslavia, and Rupel was forced to step down as editor. In 1989, he was one of the founders of the [Slovenian Democratic Union](/wiki/Slovenian_Democratic_Union "Slovenian Democratic Union") (*Slovenska demokratična zveza*, SDZ), one of the first parties that opposed [Communist](/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Slovenia "Communist Party of Slovenia") rule.

After the victory of the anti\-Communist [DEMOS coalition](/wiki/DEMOS_coalition "DEMOS coalition") in the first free elections in Slovenia in 1990, Rupel was appointed as State Secretary for International Cooperation in the cabinet of [Lojze Peterle](/wiki/Lojze_Peterle "Lojze Peterle"), thus becoming *de facto* the first [foreign minister](/wiki/Foreign_minister "Foreign minister") of the [Republic of Slovenia](/wiki/Republic_of_Slovenia_%281990-1991%29 "Republic of Slovenia (1990-1991)"), which was then seeking independence from Yugoslavia. During his term in office, Slovenia declared its independence and gained international recognition. Rupel also remained in office during the first centre\-left coalition government led by [Janez Drnovšek](/wiki/Janez_Drnov%C5%A1ek "Janez Drnovšek").

In 1991, the Slovenian Democratic Union suffered an internal split: Rupel led its left\-wing fraction, formed among others by [Jelko Kacin](/wiki/Jelko_Kacin "Jelko Kacin"), [Igor Bavčar](/wiki/Igor_Bav%C4%8Dar "Igor Bavčar"), and [France Bučar](/wiki/France_Bu%C4%8Dar "France Bučar"), into the formation of a new party, called the [Democratic Party](/wiki/Democratic_Party_%28Slovenia%29 "Democratic Party (Slovenia)"). The same year, he was elected its president. In the elections of 1992, the new party suffered a defeat, but Rupel managed to be elected a representative in the [National Assembly of Slovenia](/wiki/National_Assembly_of_Slovenia "National Assembly of Slovenia"). In 1994, most of Rupel's party merged into the [Liberal Democracy of Slovenia](/wiki/Liberal_Democracy_of_Slovenia "Liberal Democracy of Slovenia") party, led by [Janez Drnovšek](/wiki/Janez_Drnov%C5%A1ek "Janez Drnovšek"). In 1994, he ran for [mayor](/wiki/Mayor "Mayor") of [Ljubljana](/wiki/Ljubljana "Ljubljana") and took office in 1995\. He remained in this position until 1997, when he was appointed [ambassador](/wiki/Ambassador "Ambassador") to the [United States](/wiki/United_States "United States").

Rupel returned to the post of the foreign minister of Slovenia in 2000 in the third cabinet of [Janez Drnovšek](/wiki/Janez_Drnov%C5%A1ek "Janez Drnovšek"). He remained in this position until July 2004, when Prime Minister [Anton Rop](/wiki/Anton_Rop "Anton Rop") replaced him with [Ivo Vajgl](/wiki/Ivo_Vajgl "Ivo Vajgl"). He returned to his seat in parliament, left the [Liberal Democracy of Slovenia](/wiki/Liberal_Democracy_of_Slovenia "Liberal Democracy of Slovenia") party, and joined the opposition [Slovenian Democratic Party](/wiki/Slovenian_Democratic_Party "Slovenian Democratic Party"). In October 2004, this party won [the election](/wiki/2004_Slovenia_parliamentary_elections "2004 Slovenia parliamentary elections") and Rupel became foreign minister in [Janez Janša](/wiki/Janez_Jan%C5%A1a "Janez Janša")'s centre\-right government when it was approved by parliament on 3 December 2004\. After years of negotiations, disagreements and delays he signed the [Agreement on Succession Issues of the Former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia](/wiki/Agreement_on_Succession_Issues_of_the_Former_Socialist_Federal_Republic_of_Yugoslavia "Agreement on Succession Issues of the Former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia") on behalf of Slovenia.

During 2005 he was the chairman\-in\-office of the [OSCE](/wiki/Organization_for_Security_and_Co-operation_in_Europe "Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe").

In 2008, after the victory of the centre\-left coalition led by [Borut Pahor](/wiki/Borut_Pahor "Borut Pahor"), Rupel was replaced as foreign minister by [Samuel Žbogar](/wiki/Samuel_%C5%BDbogar "Samuel Žbogar"). However, he was nominated by newly elected Prime Minister Borut Pahor as his personal Special Envoy for Foreign Affairs.


What role does Rupel play in international relations?