2016-09-12 08:34:00

Croatia's conservatives win vote but uncertainty remains


(Vatican Radio) Initial results show conservatives have received most votes in Sunday's early election in Croatia, winning about 62 seats ' in the 151-seat parliament, but not enough to rule alone. Its rival left-leaning People's Coalition, which include the Social Democrats, won 53. Third-placed are kingmakers Most, or Bridge, with 12 seats, raising fears of more political uncertainty in the new European Union member state.  

Listen to Stefan Bos' reports



Yet, supporters of the conservative Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, celebrated as their party received more votes than expected.

The results present a major success for the HDZ party, which also led the previous right-wing government that collapsed in June after less than six months
in power amid infighting and scandals. That triggered the worst political turmoil in the country since it joined the European Union in 2013.
  
Though HDZ did better than expected, analysts say tt will need smaller groups such as center-right Most to form a coalition government.

That has worried commentators who predict long coalition talks and a weak government.

EUROPEAN ORIENTED

HDZ leader Andrej Plenkovic played down those fears. "What I can guarantee, what I want and why I engage myself is that the next Croatian government will be stable, for the benefit of Croatian citizens, to be European-orientated, just as our friends recommended to us these days,” he said.

Whoever comes to power, will have to overcome major challenges. Although more advanced than other Balkan countries, Croatia has one of the weakest economies in the EU following years of crisis after the 1991-95 war.

Despite signs of recovery after years of recession, unemployment still hovers around 14 percent.

Croatia is also under international pressure to improve relations with its former wartime enemy Serbia following recent nationalist tensions between the two neighbours.

 
 








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