Matej Tonin, MA
About me
Politics has been part of my life for a long time… even as a young boy I watched the evening news with my father every night. Together we put up posters around my home town of Kamnik, and I followed his work on the municipal council. When Andrej Bajuk once came to Kamnik, I went to his lecture at the Kamnik library. He said: “Now it is up to you, the young generation, to move Slovenia forward.”
That is how I joined New Slovenia – Christian Democrats. It is my first and only party, and I remain loyal to the values of Christian democracy.
In 2006 I became a municipal councillor. Quite simply, I felt that the Tuhinj Valley was being neglected and that we could do more for my home area. And indeed, over the past two decades we have achieved a great deal in the Tuhinj Valley, which makes me truly happy.
After completing my studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences and a short spell in business, I became a Member of the National Assembly in 2011. I still remember the feeling and the immense joy when we brought Christian democracy back into Parliament. In 2018, with great pride and a deep sense of responsibility, I took over the leadership of the party and led it into the parliamentary elections. We improved our result and won seven seats, and I also became Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia.
After the fall of Marjan Šarec’s government, we formed the 14th Government of the Republic of Slovenia and I became Minister of Defence. Our term was marked by the COVID epidemic and the start of the war in Ukraine. It was a very demanding period, full of challenges, but it proved that when New Slovenia is given the chance, we deliver! Our ministerial team worked in unison, and our results are still visible today. We began modernising the Slovenian Armed Forces and improving the status of volunteer firefighters. Janez Cigler Kralj launched the construction of numerous care homes for older people, and Jernej Vrtovec a programme of infrastructure investment. To this day, people I meet often tell me: “The NSi ministerial team was the best!” And I am immensely proud of that…
In 2024 I was elected to the European Parliament, and a year later I handed the leadership of the party over to safe hands – I was succeeded by Jernej Vrtovec. As a Member of the European Parliament, I am working to make the European economy more competitive, for a sensible green transition, for a change in European migration policy and for stronger defence capabilities for the Union. I pay particular attention to persecuted Christians around the world and to supporting European conservative non-governmental organisations. I want Europe to rediscover its roots and return to its fundamental values, which are Christian Democratic.
My wife Marjeta, Evelin, Julija and Ožbej are my support and my boundless love. I could not do it without you – thank you.
God bless Slovenia! God bless the European Union!
