Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday his long-dominant ruling HDZ party will announce the name of a coalition partner "very soon", after it won Wednesday's snap election but fell short of an outright majority.
With nearly all votes counted, the conservative HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) won 61 seats in the EU member state's 151-seat parliament, five fewer than the last election and 15 short of a majority, according to preliminary results.
"We spoke with some colleagues already on the very night of the election. We are continuing the talks today," Plenkovic said on his party's Facebook page.
"Very soon you will find out with whom we will form the new majority."
Final results are not expected until next week because a re-run is needed in two polling stations after irregularities were recorded, election commission head Radovan Dobronic said in a press conference on Thursday.
A coalition led by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) came in second with 42 seats, a poorer result than expected after President Zoran Milanovic dissolved parliament in March and triggered a surprise election in which he said he would run for the SDP to become prime minister.
The far-right Homeland Movement took third place with 14 seats, potentially giving it a decisive role in getting the HDZ over the line.
But talks will be tough - Homeland has pledged not to join either main bloc and has reservations about other smaller parties.
The nationalist party said it will not join any government that includes the Serb minority party SDSS. A coalition with the leftist green Mozemo party is a "mission impossible", Homeland Movement head Ivan Penava said.
Still, he left the door ajar: "I hope that we shall tailor the fate of Croatia in the days ahead," Penava added.
Other opposition parties, including Mozemo and Most which won 10 and 11 seats respectively, called on all parties to unite against the HDZ.
In the last parliament, the HDZ held a majority through support from SDSS and other smaller parties.
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