Incumbent Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic's Democratic Union of Croatia (HDZ) has concluded a coalition agreement with a nationalist right-wing movement, following last month’s parliamentary elections, a party spokesperson announced on Wednesday.
The HDZ, led by Plenkovic, and the right-wing nationalist Homeland Movement (DP) have “reached an agreement on the formation of a new parliamentary majority and the structure of a new government,” HDZ spokesperson Marko Milic said.
According to this plan, Plenkovic, prime minister since 2016, is to the lead the new government.
However, this alliance is expected to shift the Balkans country - an EU member State - to the right, a departure from Plenkovic’s centralist, pro-European orientation. The HDZ has primarily governed since Croatia attained independence from former Yugoslavia in 1991.
The DP, known for its anti-immigrant and nationalist rhetoric, has emphasised several provisions in the agreement, including the exclusion of the main Serbian ethnic party – the SDSS – from the coalition. Traditionally, the SDSS, which had a deputy prime minister amongst its ranks, was an ally of Plenkovic.
The HDZ won 61 seats in April, whereas the DP secured 14. No party achieved an absolute majority in the 151-seat assembly in elections conducted on 17 April.
Under Croatia’s political system, the president nominates a prime minister, backed by the majority of deputies, who then submits to a parliamentary vote. The inaugural session of the newly-elected parliament is required to convene before 19 May.
