Off the wire
• Lots sold for 287,500 euros at World White Truffle of Alba Auction  • Climate change can force 100 mln into poverty by 2030: World Bank  • Russian airstrikes target IS positions in Syria's Palmyra  • Syrian troops kill 58 militants in eastern region  • Feature: Egypt's Red Sea resort still attracts tourists after Russian plane crash  • Israeli casualties rise as violence continues  • Slovak police detains hundreds of illegal migrants  • Visiting U.S. army official says U.S.-Poland relations very strong  • Feature: Olive harvest in south Lebanon golden opportunity for displaced Syrians  • Homemade meals reduce risk of type 2 diabetes: study  
You are here: 　 Home

1st LD Writethru: HDZ leads in Croatian parliamentary elections: preliminary results

Xinhua, November 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Croatian "Patriotic Coalition," led by opposition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) led in Sunday's parliamentary elections with 63 seats and its main rival "Croatia Is Growing," led by ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP) won 52 seats, according to preliminary official elections results released by State Electoral Commission (DIP).

The surprise winner went to recently founded party MOST, led by Bozo Petrov, mayor of the southern small town Metkovic, putting it in the third largest party with 17 seats, showed DIP's results based on 14.30 percent of the total ballots counted by 22:00 local time (2100 GMT).

Neither of the two main coalitions is expected to gain a majority in the 151-seat parliament, meaning a coalition is likely to be necessary.

However, MOST has said before the vote it would not join coalitions with the HDZ or SDP.

Istrian Democratic Party (IDS), a junior partner in the previous government, led by SDP, but ran in this election on its own, is like to win five seats. It said that it would consider only a leftist and liberal coalition.

Remaining seats in the 151-seat parliament could be taken by three small parties, the DIP said.

HDZ has ruled a total of 18 years in the last 25 years of Croatian independence. SDP won elections for the first time in 2000, then handed over power to the HDZ and its coalition. The SDP won power again 2011 after waiting for two full mandates.

A total of 6,574 poll stations across the country closed at 19:00 pm local time (1800 GMT). Around 61.12 percent of 3.8 million eligible voters cast their ballots, according to DIP.

More than 2,300 candidates from 166 lists, mostly party lists, are competing for the 151-seat parliament, of which 140 in the 10 constituencies in the country, eight from national minorities, and three from Croatian citizens residing abroad. Enditem