Croatia: Prime Minister is granted mandate following reach of deal with nationalists
In Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic, the incumbent conservative leader, has been given the green light to form a new government only two days after striking a coalition deal with Zoran Milanovic and his right-wing nationalist Homeland Movement.
On Friday, Plenkovic shared the news through an online service, X, revealing that he got the nod after submitting signatures from 78 of the 151 newly-elected lawmakers in mid-April.
On Wednesday, Plenkovic had announced his alliance with the Homeland Movement. As a nod to the partnership, he excluded the Serbian Minority Party (SDSS) from the new government. This was a compromise given that the SDSS was once a loyal partner of Plenkovic, who took office in 2016. Plenkovic tried to reassure the public that Croatia's 'direction' and 'openness' won't be affected.
Plenkovic's HDZ won the most votes in the April 17 parliamentary elections, capturing a total of 61 seats in the 151-seat parliament in Zagreb. However, that wasn't enough for them to gain a majority. The Homeland Movement, which claimed the third-strongest position with 14 seats, was viewed as a potential partner for Plenkovic from the get-go.
The first meeting of the new parliament in Zagreb will take place next Thursday following the announcement.
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- The coalition deal between Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Zoran Milanovic's Homeland Movement secured Plenkovic a parliamentary mandate to form a new government in Croatia, bringing together the conservative HDZ, which gained the most seats in the elections, and the right-wing nationalists.
- Following the parliamentary elections, where the HDZ won the most votes but lacked a majority, Prime Minister Plenkovic agreed to exclude the Serbian Minority Party (SDSS) from the new government as a compromise, signaling his intent to maintain Croatia's 'direction' and 'openness'.
- Under the new government, having secured a parliamentary mandate through the agreement with the Homeland Movement, Prime Minister Plenkovic will undertake his third term in office, guided by a mandate obtained abundantly from 78 signatures from the newly-elected lawmakers, ensuring a stable majority in the Croatian Parliament.
Source: www.ntv.de
