Croatian elections: Conservatives, HDZ, win, but need support to govern

Clear victory for the Conservative Party (Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ) in There was fierce competition in the parliamentary elections in Croatia on Wednesday., However, to remain in power, HDZ will still need support Of far right groups.

State Election Commission said HDZ won 60 seats in the 151-seat parliament. He Social Democratic Party (SDP) won 42 seats, The far-right movement for the state came in third place with 14 seats, making it the main architect of future negotiations for the next government.

the vote raised traditionalists

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Led a coalition of centrist and leftist parties against Unofficially by populist President Zoran Milanovic and the SPD.

Plenkovic: “Ready to form a new government”

“Starting tomorrow morning We will begin to build a new parliamentary majority To form our third government,” Plenkovic said in his victory speech. “I want to congratulate the other parties that lost to HDZ.”

Voting percentage exceeded 50 percent, a record for the country. The elections come at a time when Croatia, a member of the European Union and NATO, is struggling Eurozone has the highest inflation rateReports of labor shortages, illegal immigration, and widespread corruption.

The HDZ has been in power since Croatia gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. Balkan nation became the last EU members in 2013 And last year it joined the Schengen area and the eurozone.

The confrontation between Plenkovic and Milanovic and the President’s controversial candidacy for Prime Minister

Whereas in Croatia the president has a mainly ceremonial role. The Prime Minister exercises most of the political power

, The elections were the latest episode in a long rivalry between Plenkovic and Milanovic.

After calling the election and making a surprise announcement of his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister, Milanovic began campaigning on behalf of the SDP. But judges at Croatia’s Constitutional Court intervened, saying the measure was unconstitutional.

The judges said this The President could not contest elections for the post of Prime Minister, participate in parliamentary elections or campaign for a party, unless he or she has previously resigned. Milanovic refused, openly ignoring the Supreme Court and continuing to campaign for the leftist coalition.

Exchange of accusations: “corrupt”, “pro-Russian”

Milanovic accused Plenkovic and the HDZ of large-scale corruption and “large-scale theft” of state funds, referring to past and present scandals, some of which ended up in court.

Plenkovic, who has led the government since 2016, has repeatedly denied the allegations and said Milanovic As Prime Minister he will lead the country away from the European Union

And will bring it closer to Russia.

Milanovic has often expressed Pro-Russian stance during the war in Ukraine, are opposed to the training of Ukrainian troops in Croatia and arms shipments to Ukraine because, in their opinion, it only prolongs the war. He also criticized the EU’s policies on Ukraine.