Croatia: HDZ wins the most mandates, SDP hoping for a coalition
26 November 2007
According to the preliminary results by the State Election Committee (DIP) at 04.00 on 26 November, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 60 mandates, three more than the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Thanks to a high response in the 11th constituency, the HDZ will probably get another six MPs from diaspora.
After hearing the preliminary results after midnight, Ivo Sanader said he expected HDZ’s victory, however, SDP’s president Zoran Milanovic announced that the SDP too would try to compose the new government. Both said they spoke with President Stjepan Mesic. While Sanader said he had told Mesic he expected the mandate for composing the government and Mesic agreed, Milanovic did not want to tell what they spoke about. He only cited Mesic’s previous statement that he would give the mandate to the party that proved it had the support by the majority in the Parliament.
This will largely depend on the so-called green and yellow coalition, HSS-HSLS, which won eight mandates. President of the HSS Josip Friscic said he would first talk with the relative winner of the elections in Croatia, without the diaspora, which means Sanader.
Source: limun.hr
