Local elections held in Croatia

May 15, 2005

Elections for local governments were held in Croatia Sunday. The polls were closed at 19:00 local time (UTC+2). The results are not in yet, but exit polls and preliminary results were published by GONG and State Election Committee.

According to GONG, an NGO observing the elections, Milan Bandić can form a government in the city of Zagreb, since his list has won around 46%. This would give the coalition 27 of 51 seats in the capital city. Bandić is a head of the coalition list formed by Social Democrat Party of Croatia (SDP), Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), and Croatian Pensioner Party (HUS). The preliminary results from the State Election Committee show 40.90% for Bandić at 23:30 local time.

Branimir Glavaš's, who was recently expelled from Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), list seems to be in lead in Osijek according to the exit polls, with 27.24% (which would equal 9 seats in the local parliament). Liberal Party has 18.47% (6 seats), and Croatian Party of Justice is third with 14.5% (4 seats).

According to GONG, Social Democrat Party has a lead in Split with 29.02% of votes (10 seats), while Croatian Democratic Union is following with 18.54% (6 seats).

In Sisačko-Moslovačka county parliament, preliminary results show the lead of a list led by SDP with 34.71%, while HDZ, once led by Franjo Tuđman, is second with 30.64%.

Zagreb county parliament is led by coalition of HSS and SDP with 34.35%. HDZ is second with 27.10%, according to preliminary results.