Prime Minister celebrates victory

Croatia: Conservatives clearly ahead according to exit polls

Prime Minister Plenkovic votes - by the evening his victory was clear.(Bild: APA/AFP/DAMIR SENCAR)

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic's ruling conservatives have clearly maintained their leading position in the Croatian parliamentary elections. This is shown by voter surveys immediately after the polls closed at 7 pm on Wednesday.

According to the broadcaster Nova TV, Plenkovic's Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) won 59 of the 151 seats, while the left-liberal opposition alliance led by President Zoran Milanovic won 43 seats.

Far-right Homeland Movement in third place
The far-right Homeland Movement came third with 13 seats, followed by the bourgeois party Most (Bridge) with eleven and the green party Mozemo (We Can) with ten seats. Voter turnout was comparatively high.

Coalition thriller begins
HDZ deputy leader Gordan Jandrokovic celebrated the "third clear election victory in a row". He was vague on the question of a possible coalition with the Homeland Movement, which Prime Minister Plenkovic had previously kept at arm's length. The fact is that the HDZ, which currently governs with the support of minority parties, will need a larger coalition partner than before.

Opposition does not want to give up yet
However, the left-wing opposition alliance has not yet given up hope of a change of power. It was emphasized that, according to the exit polls, the opposition parties have more mandates than the previous government camp of HDZ, Croats abroad and minority representatives.