ZAGREB, Croatia — The conservative Croatian Democratic Union won the most seats in parliamentary elections held in Croatia on Sunday, but the country looked set for long negotiations among potential coalition partners after voters once again declined to return a clear governing majority.

With all of the votes counted, the party, known as H.D.Z., had 61 seats, pushing the Social Democrats into second place with 54. But it was still short of a majority in the 151-seat Parliament, even with the support of the center-right Most party, or Bridge, whose 13 seats make it a likely kingmaker.

In a sign of voter disillusionment, turnout plunged, and Zivi Zid, or Human Shield, a populist left alliance, surged from one seat to eight by promising to be tough on banks and demanding the prosecution of unnamed corrupt officials.

The H.D.Z. seems best placed to form a government, but it could be difficult for any party to build a coalition with a clear mandate to carry out the painful public administration changes being urged on this country of 4.3 million.</s>ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Croatia's conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) were in the lead with 62 seats in the 151-seat parliament in Sunday's parliamentary election, preliminary results based on a partial vote count showed.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) came second with 52 seats, the state election commission said after counting 15 percent of the votes. The centre-right Most (the Bridge) party came third with 13 seats. (Reporting by Ivana Sekularac and Igor Ilic, editing by Thomas Escritt)</s>ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — An initial exit poll in Croatia's early parliamentary election indicates there will be no clear winner, paving the way for more political uncertainty in the European Union's newest member state.



The left-wing Peoples' Coalition won 58 seats in Croatia's 151-seat parliament, according to the poll Sunday conducted by Croatia's independent Ipsos Puls agency, carried by state TV. The conservative Croatian Democratic Union had 57 seats, while kingmakers Most, or Bridge, won 11 seats.



The second vote in less than a year on Sunday was called when a previous, right-wing government collapsed in June after less than six months in power, paralyzed by bickering within the ruling coalition.</s>ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Croatia's Social Democrats were in the lead in Sunday's parliamentary elections according to an exit poll on state television that forecast the party would win 58 seats in the 151-seat parliament.

The conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) came second with 57 seats, while the centre-right Most ("Bridge") party, widely seen as a potential kingmaker, came third with 11 seats. (Reporting by Ivana Sekularac and Igor Ilic, editing by Thomas Escritt)</s>ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatian citizens have started casting ballots in an early parliamentary election that is unlikely to produce a clear winner and could pave the way for more political uncertainty in the European Union’s newest member state.

The second vote in less than a year was called when a previous, right-wing government collapsed after just six months in power, paralyzed by bickering within the ruling coalition.

Political deadlock has delayed reforms that are necessary for Croatia to catch up with the rest of the EU. It has also fueled nationalist rhetoric amid heightened tensions with Serbia — its former Balkan war foe.

Opinion polls suggest that neither the conservative Croatian Democratic Union, known as HDZ, nor the left-leaning Social Democrats and their People’s Coalition, will win enough votes to rule alone.

This means that that some of the smaller groups could play the role of kingmakers, as was the case with the Most group in the previous government. Some analysts have predicted that Croatia’s next government could be as unstable as the previous one.

Although more advanced than other Balkan countries, Croatia has one of the weakest economies in the EU following years of crisis after the split from the former Yugoslavia and the 1991-95 war.

After a six-year recession, Croatia has shown signs of recovery with reported growth of more than 2 percent. However, unemployment hovers around 14 percent — among the highest in the EU — and much of the fiscal growth is attributed to tourism along Croatia’s Adriatic coast.</s>Croatia holds snap vote with no clear winner in sight

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croats have begun casting ballots in an early parliamentary election that is unlikely to produce a clear winner and could pave the way for more political uncertainty in the European Union's newest member state.

Sunday's vote is the second in less than a year. It was called after a previous, right-wing government collapsed after just six months in power, paralyzed by bickering within the ruling coalition.

Opinion polls suggest that neither the conservative Croatian Democratic Union, known as HDZ, nor the left-leaning Social Democrats and their People's Coalition, will win enough votes to rule alone.

This means that some of the smaller groups could play the role of kingmakers, as was the case with the Most group in the previous government.

Croatia has among the weakest economies in the EU.</s>ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatian citizens were voting Sunday in an early parliamentary election that is unlikely to produce a clear winner and could pave the way for more political uncertainty in the European Union’s newest member state.

The second vote in less than a year was called when a previous, right-wing government collapsed in June after less than six months in power, paralyzed by bickering within the ruling coalition.

Political deadlock has delayed reforms that are necessary for Croatia to catch up with the rest of the EU. It has also fueled nationalist rhetoric amid heightened tensions with Serbia — its former Balkan war foe.

Opinion polls suggest that neither the conservative Croatian Democratic Union, known as HDZ, nor the left-leaning Social Democrats and their People’s Coalition, will win enough votes to rule alone, though the leftist alliance has been projected taking a slight lead.

This means that that some of the smaller groups could play the role of kingmakers, as was the case with the Most group in the previous government. Some analysts have predicted that Croatia’s next government could take months to form and end up as weak as the previous one.

Croatia had tilted to the right under the HDZ-led government that took over following the inconclusive vote last November. However, in the past weeks it has sought to remake its image as a centrist party under new leader Andrej Plenkovic.

The more moderate leader, who took over from right-leaning Tomislav Karamarko earlier this summer, said Sunday he expects high turnout among Croatia’s nearly 3.8 million voters.

“We are happy,” Plenkovic said upon casting his ballot. “It’s a beautiful day, so I expect the turnout to be bigger than if it was rainy.”

HDZ and the Social Democrats have been the two dominant parties in Croatia since the country split from former Yugoslavia in 1991. The Social Democrats, led by former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, were in power for four years until last November.

Although more advanced than other Balkan countries, Croatia has one of the weakest economies in the EU following years of crisis after the split from former Yugoslavia and the 1991-95 war.

After a six-year recession, Croatia has shown signs of recovery with reported growth of more than 2 percent. However, unemployment hovers around 14 percent — among the highest in the EU — and much of the fiscal growth is attributed to tourism along Croatia’s Adriatic coast.

Kristijan Naher, a voter from Zagreb said he hopes Croatians “will be smarter now” and vote conclusively to “avoid the agony” that followed the last election.

Zagreb resident Jelena Micic said she was hopeful things would improve.

“I think we are moving toward a better future for Croatia,” Micic said.</s>ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Zoran Milanovic, leader of Croatia’s opposition Social Democrats and a former prime minister, said Monday he will step down after a poor result of his coalition in weekend’s snap national election.

Milanovic, who led the government for four years from 2011, said he will not take part in the party’s upcoming internal elections. He became the left-leaning party’s leader in 2007 after the death of previous leader Ivica Racan.

“I don’t plan to run for the president of SDP,” Milanovic told reporters.

The ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, scored a victory in the early parliamentary vote on Sunday and now faces a tough task of forming a coalition government after disillusioned voters again failed to produce a clear winner.

Complete results reported Monday by Croatia’s state electoral commission showed that HDZ won 61 seats in the 151-member parliament, while Milanovic’s left-leaning Peoples’ Coalition won 54.

The third-placed Most, or Bridge, party is a likely kingmaker in the future coalition government with 13 seats. The biggest surprise was Zivi Zid, or Human Shield populist group, which has emerged from anti-government protests. It won eight seats but has ruled out joining a coalition government.

The vote results represented a huge blow for Milanovic whose Social Democrats — the main party in the Peoples’ Coalition — had been considered clear favorites. There were signs of discontent within party ranks with Milanovic’s pre-election tactics.

Milanovic, 49, campaigned on ultra-nationalist rhetoric, trying to lure conservative voters to his side. But, his populist tone has only scared away minorities and pro-left voters in Croatia and has brought the country’s relations with neighboring Serbia to the lowest point since they fought the war in the 1990s.

Milanovic urged the party to hold the internal vote as soon as possible.

“We have witnessed low turnout, that’s not the citizens’ fault, it’s ours,” he said, blaming the election loss on the poor turnout on Sunday.

The snap vote was called after the previous conservative-led coalition government collapsed in June, triggering the biggest political turmoil in the nation of 4.2 million people since it joined the European Union in 2013. With no party winning a majority in the weekend vote, the deadlock that has stalled much-needed social and economic reforms in is likely to continue.

Political analyst Zarko Puhovski said there was no doubt that HDZ will form the new government with Most — just as the two right-wing parties did after the previous election in November.

“That government will be formed, but it is not clear for how long it will last,” Puhovski said.

In a sign of voter disillusionment, turnout was 53 percent, down nearly 10 percentage points from the previous vote. Also, many voters apparently turned away from HDZ and Social Democrats who intermittently ruled the country since it split from former Yugoslavia in 1991, triggering a civil war that killed some 10,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

Andrej Plenkovic, a European parliamentarian who has assumed HDZ leadership only months before the vote and shifted it toward the center, said Monday that talks with potential coalition partners will start in the coming days.

“It is now up to us to bring stability into the Croatian state and institutions,” Plenkovic said.

Like many other central European states, Croatia had tilted to the right under the previous HDZ-led government.

“This is not a new trend, the right-wingers winning,” said Ljerka Kavoci, a Zagreb resident. “It is a trend that is hanging over Croatia since the war. It was calm for some years, but now it’s out there again.”</s>A surge in support for leftist populists saw the Social Democrats, who were widely expected to come out with the largest number of seats, lose ground in a poll where the turnout was a fifth lower than in the last one just 10 months ago.

This reflected popular anger at politicians who are seen to have exploited nationalist rhetoric rather than tackle the country's economic woes, with the populist left Zivi Zid (Human Shield) alliance rising from one to eight seats on promises to be tough on banks and corrupt politicians.

Most opinion polls had suggested the Social Democrats would win around 60 seats, and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) would be behind. This was actually the reverse in the election.

Led by former diplomat Andrej Plenkovic, the HDZ won 61 seats in Zagreb's 151-seat parliament and will now need to move quickly to avoid further anger from a disillusioned public.

Unemployment is at 13 percent and European Union authorities are urging Croatia to address public debts that eat up 3.5 percent of economic output in interest payments alone.

Plenkovic helped the HDZ win back ground it lost to rivals after its previous government collapsed in June after only five months in power amid rows over political appointments with its coalition partner. The HDZ beat the Social Democrat-led alliance, which won 54 seats.

"We are the party that will have the privilege of forming a stable government," Plenkovic said as he claimed victory early on Monday.

SDP leader Zoran Milanovic, a former Prime Minister, said he would not stand as leader in the next party election which will take place in the coming months, but did not resign with immediate effect as some had expected after the result.

Plenkovic's more moderate tone might make for a more stable coalition, although the Most ("Bridge") party, the likely kingmaker with 13 seats, showed little sign of compromising.

Among Most's initial demands were changes to the financing of political parties, lower taxes for businesses and an Adriatic economic zone - a bold proposal that would likely require extensive consultation with Croatia's European Union partners.

"The SDP is realistically too far behind to be in the race to form a future cabinet and if Plenkovic manages to establish a reasonably good cooperation with Most, the government could be stable," said political analyst Ivan Rimac.

But any government will struggle to deliver reforms being urged by the EU, which is monitoring Croatia's debt-burdened economy and an investment environment it sees as business-unfriendly.

"(HDZ) would need to strike an agreement with a diminished Most and at least one more small party," said Otilia Dhand, an analyst at risk consultancy Teneo, highlighting the risk that the new cabinet could be as fractious as the old one.</s>ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Complete results of Croatia's snap election have confirmed a clear victory for the ruling conservatives, who now face a tough task of forming a coalition government.

The results reported Monday by Croatia's state electoral commission showed that the Croatian Democratic Union won 61 seats in the 151-member parliament, while the left-leaning People's Coalition won 54.

The third-placed Most, or Bridge, party is a likely kingmaker in the future coalition government with 13 seats. The biggest surprise is Zivi Zid, or Human Shield group, which won eight seats.

Andrej Plenkovic, center, leader of center-right HDZ party celebrates elections results at the party's headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, early Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Initial results of Croatia's early elections have shown that the conservatives were leading the vote, but won't be able to rule on their own, paving the way for another coalition government in the European Union's newest member state. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Turnout was 53 percent, down 10 percentage points from the previous vote in November.

The snap vote was called after the previous coalition government collapsed in June, triggering the biggest political turmoil in the country since it joined the EU in 2013.

Andrej Plenkovic, center, leader of center-right HDZ party addresses the media and supporters at his party's headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, early Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Initial results of Croatia's early elections have shown that the conservatives were leading the vote, but won't be able to rule on their own, paving the way for another coalition government in the European Union's newest member state. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Andrej Plenkovic, left, leader of center-right HDZ party addresses the media and supporters at his party's headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, early Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Initial results of Croatia's early elections have shown that the conservatives were leading the vote, but won't be able to rule on their own, paving the way for another coalition government in the European Union's newest member state. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A supporter of center-right HDZ party holds a banner reading "We, Croats" at the party's headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, late Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Initial results of Croatia's early elections have shown that the conservatives were leading the vote, but won't be able to rule on their own, paving the way for another coalition government in the European Union's newest member state. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Andrej Plenkovic, front left, leader of center-right HDZ party celebrates elections results at the party's headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, early Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Initial results of Croatia's early elections have shown that the conservatives were leading the vote, but won't be able to rule on their own, paving the way for another coalition government in the European Union's newest member state. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Andrej Plenkovic, leader of center-right HDZ party addresses the media and supporters at his party's headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, early Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Initial results of Croatia's early elections have shown that the conservatives were leading the vote, but won't be able to rule on their own, paving the way for another coalition government in the European Union's newest member state. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Voters in Croatia go to the polls for a parliamentary election with the conservative Croatian Democratic Union taking an early lead.