Croatians head to polls for 2nd time in 10 months

By Vesna Besic and Lejla Biogradlija

ZAGREB, Croatia

Around 3.8 million Croatian voters headed for the polls on Sunday in the second election in less than a year.

The ballot is expected to end in another coalition after last November’s vote produced no clear winner, resulting in political deadlock.

An alliance of four parties led by the Social Democrats is expected to win around 60 of 151 parliamentary seats with the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) predicted to come a close second, leaving the center-right Most party to decide the balance of power.

The election is being held after the HDZ-led government lost a no-confidence vote in June following a scandal over Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko’s links to a Hungarian oil company.

Croatia joined the EU three years ago but is one of the bloc’s worst performing economies and is being called on to carry out tough reforms by Brussels.

By Vesna Besic and Lejla Biogradlija

ZAGREB, Croatia

Around 3.8 million Croatian voters headed for the polls on Sunday in the second election in less than a year.

The ballot is expected to end in another coalition after last November’s vote produced no clear winner, resulting in political deadlock.

The election is being held after the HDZ-led government lost a no-confidence vote in June following a scandal over Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko’s links to a Hungarian oil company.

Croatia joined the EU three years ago but is one of the bloc’s worst performing economies and is being called on to carry out tough reforms by Brussels.