As Croatian voters prepare to cast votes in early parliamentary elections on Sunday for the second time in ten months, surveys suggest neither the centre-left People’s Coalition nor the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, will emerge as the clear victor. Gordan Jandrokovic, a senior HDZ member and former foreign minister, said the result would allow his party to outmaneuver the Social Democrats to lead the next cabinet.
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That would leave both seeking support from the centre-right Most party – it was also the kingmaker after the last elections. According to the CRO Demoscop’s most recent opinion polling for the Croatian parliamentary election, none of the mentioned parties would gain an absolute majority in the parliament.
Croats choose a government for the second time in less than a year on Sunday, and polls predict a close outcome and another coalition that lacks a clear mandate to push through painful cuts and restructuring being urged by European authorities. Some analysts have predicted that Croatia’s next government could be as unstable as the previous one.
The Social Democrats – running in a People’s Coalition with some smaller groups – are considered successors to Croatia’s Communists, who fought against Nazis during World War II and later ruled Croatia while it was part of the Yugoslav federation.
In the last elections in November 2015, the HDZ-led Patriotic Coalition won 59 seats, while the SDP-led Croatia Grows coalition won 56.
The HDZ is accused of leading a slide to the populist right in Croatian politics, just as a similar process is taking place in Serbia and other states in the region and beyond, the report noted.
Final results are not expected until later on Monday or Tuesday.
The nearly year of political deadlock has blocked reforms the former Yugoslav republic badly needs as it emerges from a six-year recession.
The more moderate leader, who took over from right-leaning Tomislav Karamarko earlier this summer, said Sunday he expects high turnout among Croatia’s almost 3.8 million voters.
Senior HDZ member Gordan Jandrokovic said the party had enough support to form a government with Bridge and smaller factions including the party of Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, which won two seats, and minority lawmakers. MOST leader Bozo Petrov become deputy prime minister.
Most, which was headed for 12 seats, has said implementing its liberal reforms is its pre-condition for entering a coalition.
Although more advanced than other Balkan countries, Croatia has one of the weakest economies in the European Union following years of crisis after the split from the former Yugoslavia and the 1991-95 war.
Three years after joining, the country’s record on drawing down European funds is poor, pointing to glaring public admnistration shortcomings and contributing to macroeconomic imbalances the European Commission sees as exessive. Growth of 2.5 percent expected this year is insufficient to boost living standards, analysts say.
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“I think we are moving toward a better future for Croatia”, Micic said.
