on 4 december, virant was elected to the slovenian national assembly as the leader of the gregor virant's civic list. on 21 december, with the votes of his list, the slovenian democratic party, the slovenian people's party, new slovenia and the democratic party of pensioners of slovenia, he became the speaker of the assembly, thus defeating the candidate of positive slovenia party, maša kociper. he succeeded ljubo germič. on 24 april, he was reelected as the leader of the party.