Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader declared victory for his ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in the parliamentary elections shortly before midnight Sunday.

 

Sanader told reporters that he had spoken to President Stjepan Mesic Sunday evening and told him that he expected a mandate to form a government, with which Mesic agreed, the Croatian national news agency HINA reported.

 

Sanader added that he was yet to talk specifically about a ruling coalition with Josip Friscic, leader of the Peasant Party (HSS) which, according to the preliminary results, is the third strongest party.

 

However, he said, "Friscic and I have been in regular contact over the past few days, and I believe we will continue to be in touch in the coming days." He went on to say that the HDZ had had "very creative, sincere and open contacts" with all of its potential coalition partners.

 

According to the results of Sunday's parliamentary election released by the State Election Commission at 23:00 (22:00 GMT), the HDZ won 60 seats in the national parliament, while the main opposition Social Democratic Party won 57 seats.

 

Sanader said that several European statesmen, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European People's Party leader Wilfried Martens, had congratulated him on winning the election.

 

He said priorities of the next government would be Croatia's Euro-Atlantic integration, higher living standards, balanced development of the country, completion of infrastructure projects, care for young people and pensioners, and job creation.

 

Earlier, unfavorable exit poll results had caused some concern about the HDZ's electoral success. However, the party launched its victory celebrations after the Commission announced that it had won based on 10 percent of the votes counted.

 

About 4 million people were eligible to vote in Croatia's sixth multi-party parliamentary elections. Turnout in the elections was slightly above 62 percent, the Commission said.

 

Parliamentary elections were conducted in 10 electoral units in Croatia and in two special ones: one for the Croatian diaspora and Croatian nationals residing abroad, and the other for Croatia's national minorities.

 

Some 400,000 Croatian citizens living abroad are eligible to vote in constituency 11 covering the Croatian emigrant community from 53 countries.

 

The Croatian constitution stipulates that the unicameral parliament can have no less than 100 and no more than 160 deputies. Parliament members will be elected on the basis of direct, universal and equal suffrage for a four-year term.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 26, 2007)