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The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Croatia’s ruling party, secured a victory in Wednesday’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results.
With 60 seats in the 151-seat parliament, the HDZ fell short of a majority, while a coalition led by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) secured 42 seats, and the right-wing Homeland Movement gained 14 seats.
The election was viewed as a test of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s popularity and his party’s dominance in Croatian politics since the country’s independence in 1991.
The outcome may also influence Croatia’s stance on various issues, including the conflict in Ukraine and relations with the European Union, as Plenkovic supports Ukraine, whereas the opposition does not.
Plenkovic stated that his party would work towards securing a parliamentary majority to form the government.
On the opposition side, the SDP expressed hope for a better result, as its leader, Pedja Grbin, said, “It is not over. Days, weeks and perhaps months of talks are ahead of us and they will result in the change that will make Croatia a better place. We will start talks as of tomorrow.”
