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| Conservatives in the lead in Croatia election | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Preliminary results in Croatia show the conservative HDZ party in the lead after Sunday's parliamentary election. | Preliminary results in Croatia show the conservative HDZ party in the lead after Sunday's parliamentary election. |
| With almost a third of the votes counted, they have 60 out of 151 seats. A Social Democrat-led four-party alliance has 55 seats. | |
| A close result could force either group to seek the support of the centre-right Most (Bridge) party, analysts say. | A close result could force either group to seek the support of the centre-right Most (Bridge) party, analysts say. |
| Some 3.8 million people were eligible to vote in the country's second election in less than a year. | Some 3.8 million people were eligible to vote in the country's second election in less than a year. |
| Correspondents say a weak coalition would not have the clear mandate needed to introduce the tough reforms being demanded by the European Union. | Correspondents say a weak coalition would not have the clear mandate needed to introduce the tough reforms being demanded by the European Union. |
| A government formed in November and led by the HDZ collapsed in June over a conflict of interest scandal. | A government formed in November and led by the HDZ collapsed in June over a conflict of interest scandal. |
| The BBC 's Guy Delauney in Zagreb says the rhetoric turned ugly in the run-up to the election. | The BBC 's Guy Delauney in Zagreb says the rhetoric turned ugly in the run-up to the election. |
| Our correspondent says that Croatia joined the EU three years ago, but nationalism and neighbour-bashing became a feature of the debate. | Our correspondent says that Croatia joined the EU three years ago, but nationalism and neighbour-bashing became a feature of the debate. |
| And memories of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s and World War Two have been stirred up as rivals try to bolster support and distract from domestic problems, our correspondent says. | And memories of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s and World War Two have been stirred up as rivals try to bolster support and distract from domestic problems, our correspondent says. |
| Read more on Croatia | Read more on Croatia |
| Almost a year of political deadlock has impeded urgently-needed economic reforms, with the economy relying heavily on tourism along the Adriatic coast. | Almost a year of political deadlock has impeded urgently-needed economic reforms, with the economy relying heavily on tourism along the Adriatic coast. |
| Croatia remains one of the EU's mostly poorly performing economies despite recent positive developments linked to its EU membership. | Croatia remains one of the EU's mostly poorly performing economies despite recent positive developments linked to its EU membership. |
| Short-lived coalition | Short-lived coalition |
| The HDZ-led coalition was characterised by a shift to the right and growing antipathy towards the independent media and minorities, especially ethnic Serbs. | The HDZ-led coalition was characterised by a shift to the right and growing antipathy towards the independent media and minorities, especially ethnic Serbs. |
| This triggered international concern. Strained ties with Serbia became even more difficult. | This triggered international concern. Strained ties with Serbia became even more difficult. |
| The HDZ is running on its own this time, without any of the more extreme nationalist parties. Its new leader Andrej Plenkovic is a former career diplomat who has a reputation as a moderate with little time for nationalist causes. | The HDZ is running on its own this time, without any of the more extreme nationalist parties. Its new leader Andrej Plenkovic is a former career diplomat who has a reputation as a moderate with little time for nationalist causes. |
| On the left, Zoran Milanovic is hoping to return to power with a coalition led by his Social Democrats. | On the left, Zoran Milanovic is hoping to return to power with a coalition led by his Social Democrats. |
| But his junior partners, the Croatian People's Party, are keen to steer him away from populism and back towards the sort of policies enacted during the four years when he was prime minister. | But his junior partners, the Croatian People's Party, are keen to steer him away from populism and back towards the sort of policies enacted during the four years when he was prime minister. |