This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/croatias-conservatives-take-lead-preliminary-election-results
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Croatia's conservatives set for coalition talks after falling short of majority | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Croatia’s conservatives were poised to remain in power after winning a snap election but will have to begin coalition talks to form a government after falling short of a majority. | Croatia’s conservatives were poised to remain in power after winning a snap election but will have to begin coalition talks to form a government after falling short of a majority. |
| The close result does little to dispel political uncertainty in the EU’s newest member but the new conservative leader – now likely to be prime minister – has signalled a shift towards the centre after a lurch to the right. | The close result does little to dispel political uncertainty in the EU’s newest member but the new conservative leader – now likely to be prime minister – has signalled a shift towards the centre after a lurch to the right. |
| The conservative HDZ won 61 seats while its centre-left opposition rivals, the Social Democrats (SDP), had 54, according to results from nearly all polling stations. | The conservative HDZ won 61 seats while its centre-left opposition rivals, the Social Democrats (SDP), had 54, according to results from nearly all polling stations. |
| “I’m certain that we are the party that will have the privilege of forming the next stable Croatian government,” HDZ’s new moderate leader, Andrej Plenkovic, told supporters early on Monday. | “I’m certain that we are the party that will have the privilege of forming the next stable Croatian government,” HDZ’s new moderate leader, Andrej Plenkovic, told supporters early on Monday. |
| The election was the country’s second in less than a year after the previous barely functioning coalition government led by the HDZ collapsed in June over a conflict of interest scandal after just five months in power. | The election was the country’s second in less than a year after the previous barely functioning coalition government led by the HDZ collapsed in June over a conflict of interest scandal after just five months in power. |
| As the HDZ did not secure an absolute majority in the 151-seat parliament, its former junior government partner, the Most party (“bridge” in Croatian), is likely to play kingmaker once again. The Most party came third with 13 seats. | As the HDZ did not secure an absolute majority in the 151-seat parliament, its former junior government partner, the Most party (“bridge” in Croatian), is likely to play kingmaker once again. The Most party came third with 13 seats. |
| Some 3.8 million Croatians were eligible to vote in the election, which came at a time of economic gloom and strained ties between neighbours in the volatile Balkans. | Some 3.8 million Croatians were eligible to vote in the election, which came at a time of economic gloom and strained ties between neighbours in the volatile Balkans. |
| The previous HDZ-led coalition’s five-month rule was marked by a shift to the right amid a growing climate of intolerance, including attacks on independent media and minorities, notably ethnic Serbs. | The previous HDZ-led coalition’s five-month rule was marked by a shift to the right amid a growing climate of intolerance, including attacks on independent media and minorities, notably ethnic Serbs. |
| Authorities appeared to have turned a blind eye to a far-right surge that sparked global concern and brought already frosty ties with former enemy Serbia to their lowest level since Croatia’s 1990s war of independence. | Authorities appeared to have turned a blind eye to a far-right surge that sparked global concern and brought already frosty ties with former enemy Serbia to their lowest level since Croatia’s 1990s war of independence. |
| But the HDZ was aspiring to stay in power with the moderate Plenkovic, who has pledged a “Europe-oriented” government. The 46-year-old former member of the European parliament has repeatedly vowed to move the party away from populism and extremism to position it in the centre-right. | But the HDZ was aspiring to stay in power with the moderate Plenkovic, who has pledged a “Europe-oriented” government. The 46-year-old former member of the European parliament has repeatedly vowed to move the party away from populism and extremism to position it in the centre-right. |
| His SDP rival, former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, 49, told supporters in Zagreb early on Monday that Croatia needed a stable government. “For the past months we had an unstable and destructive (one),” he added. | His SDP rival, former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, 49, told supporters in Zagreb early on Monday that Croatia needed a stable government. “For the past months we had an unstable and destructive (one),” he added. |
| Croatians may have lost enthusiasm after voting for a second time in less than a year: by mid-afternoon turnout was nine points down on levels seen in November. | Croatians may have lost enthusiasm after voting for a second time in less than a year: by mid-afternoon turnout was nine points down on levels seen in November. |
| The close result suggests difficult talks loom on forming a government. With Plenkovic’s moderate agenda, HDZ will likely win the backing of minorities, notably Serbs. | The close result suggests difficult talks loom on forming a government. With Plenkovic’s moderate agenda, HDZ will likely win the backing of minorities, notably Serbs. |
| Despite pledging a government of progress and tolerance, Milanovic sharpened his populist rhetoric during the campaign after disappointing voters with few reforms when in power before the HDZ coalition took control. | Despite pledging a government of progress and tolerance, Milanovic sharpened his populist rhetoric during the campaign after disappointing voters with few reforms when in power before the HDZ coalition took control. |
| He repeatedly criticised the Serbian prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, over his ultranationalist wartime stance. Nearly a year of political deadlock has blocked reforms the former Yugoslav republic badly needs as it emerges from a six-year recession. | He repeatedly criticised the Serbian prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, over his ultranationalist wartime stance. Nearly a year of political deadlock has blocked reforms the former Yugoslav republic badly needs as it emerges from a six-year recession. |
| The economy, relying heavily on tourism along the country’s Adriatic coast, remains one of the EU’s weakest despite some recent positive indicators attributed to membership of the bloc. | The economy, relying heavily on tourism along the country’s Adriatic coast, remains one of the EU’s weakest despite some recent positive indicators attributed to membership of the bloc. |
| The central bank has forecast growth of 2.3% this year. Unemployment stands at more than 13%, public debt has reached 85% of GDP, while the investment climate remains poor. | The central bank has forecast growth of 2.3% this year. Unemployment stands at more than 13%, public debt has reached 85% of GDP, while the investment climate remains poor. |