Croatian conservative leader Andrej Plenkovic has been appointed prime minister-designate for a third consecutive term. His ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) has formed a coalition with the far-right Homeland Movement (DP) party, securing a parliamentary majority. However, this move has raised concerns about ethnic tensions as DP opposes the inclusion of a party representing minority Serbs in the government.
Croatian conservative leader Andrej Plenkovic has been formally appointed prime minister-designate for a third consecutive term after forming an alliance with an extreme right party following an inconclusive election.
Plenkovic's ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won the most votes at last month's parliamentary vote in the European Union nation, but not enough to stay in power on their own. The party this week agreed to form a coalition with the far-right Homeland Movement (DP) for a parliamentary majority.
Lawmakers are set to approve Plenkovic's new government next week. It will have a slim majority of 78 lawmakers in the 151-member assembly, which could herald political uncertainty.
"We will continue in our third mandate to work for progress," Plenkovic said after he was appointed by President Zoran Milanovic.
Plenkovic's new Cabinet is likely to push Croatia further to the right ahead of next month's European election, which takes place as the continent faces a war in Ukraine, climate emergencies, migration, and other problems.
The Homeland Movement, or DP, is a relatively new political party in Croatia, made up largely of radical nationalists and social conservatives who had left the center-right HDZ. The party is led by the hard-line mayor of the eastern town of Vukovar, which was destroyed during Croatia's 1991 war for independence after it split from the former Yugoslavia.
For the first time in years, Croatia's government will not include a party representing minority Serbs because DP opposed their inclusion. That has fueled concerns about ethnic tensions stemming from the conflict in the 1990s.
HDZ has largely held office since Croatia gained independence. The Balkan nation became an EU member in 2013 and joined Europe's passport-free travel area and the eurozone last year.
The appointment of Plenkovic as prime minister-designate marks a significant shift in Croatian politics, bringing the far-right into the government for the first time.
The move has sparked concerns among some observers who fear that it could lead to a deterioration in human rights and the rule of law in Croatia. Others, however, argue that the new government will be more effective in addressing the challenges facing the country.
Only time will tell what the long-term consequences of this political shift will be for Croatia. However, it is clear that the appointment of Plenkovic as prime minister-designate has opened a new chapter in the country's history.
