Croatians are participating in a parliamentary election amidst a political crisis fuelled by a bitter rivalry between the president and prime minister.
Wednesday’s ballot features the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, facing off against an alliance of centrist and left-wing parties informally led by populist President Zoran Milanovic and his Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The election takes place against the backdrop of economic challenges, including Croatia’s struggle with the highest inflation rate in the eurozone, a labor shortage, illegal migration, and reports of widespread corruption.
Not only Croatia’s domestic policies but also EU unity is at stake in the 151-seat parliament race as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine creates instability.
If the HDZ remains in power, Croatia would maintain its pro-Western stance, supporting Ukraine in its conflict against Russia.
Such an outcome would challenge the HDZ’s longstanding political dominance and potentially create opportunities for increased pro-Russian influence in Croatia, similar to the situations in Hungary and Slovakia.
Polls are set to close on Wednesday evening, with official results anticipated on Thursday.
Most pre-election polls indicated a likely victory for the HDZ, although not with enough seats to govern independently.
The left-wing opposition stands to gain from public dissatisfaction with Croatia’s high inflation and the general economic downturn affecting many EU member states.
Smaller parties on both the right and left could play pivotal roles in determining the paths to power for both the HDZ and SDP.
Since Croatia’s independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, the HDZ has largely maintained control of the government.
The Balkan nation joined the European Union in 2013 and became a part of Europe’s passport-free travel area and the eurozone last year.
In Croatia, the president holds a primarily ceremonial position, while the prime minister wields the majority of political power.
After Mr. Milanovic scheduled the election and unexpectedly announced his candidacy for prime minister, he commenced campaigning on behalf of the SDP. However, Croatia’s constitutional court judges intervened, deeming the move unconstitutional.
The court ruled that the president is prohibited from running for prime minister, participating in parliamentary elections, or endorsing any party unless he resigns from his presidential position.
Despite this ruling, Mr. Milanovic refused to comply, openly defying the court and continuing to campaign in support of the left-wing alliance.
During his campaign, Mr. Milanovic accused Mr. Plenkovic and the HDZ of widespread corruption and “massive theft” of state funds, citing various scandals that have surfaced over the years, some of which have led to legal proceedings.
Mr. Plenkovic, who has served as prime minister since 2016, vehemently refuted the allegations levelled against him, asserting that a Prime Minister Milanovic would steer Croatia away from the European Union and toward Russia.
In contrast, Mr. Milanovic has frequently expressed a pro-Russian position during the conflict in Ukraine.
He has opposed the training of Ukrainian soldiers in Croatia and the provision of weapons to Ukraine, arguing that such actions would only perpetuate the war.
Additionally, he has criticised the European Union’s policies regarding Ukraine.
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