Zagreb - The preliminary results which the State Electoral Commission (DIP) made public at 22:00 hrs Sunday showed that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was in the lead with 62 seats in the 151-seat legislature, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP)-led coalition came second in the early parliamentary election, gaining 52 seats.
Returns from 15% of polling stations showed that the Bridge party is set to gain 13 seats. The coalition led by the Human Shield party has mustered seven, and the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) four seats.
The party led by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić and the regional HDSSB party are set to have two seats each. DIP chairman Branko Hrvatin underscored that those results were incomplete and they would change during the night.
At midnight, DIP will release results based on returns from 60% of polling stations. Over 3.7 million eligible voters went to the polls in Croatia on Sunday to elect members of parliament for the second time in ten months.
About 2,500 candidates ran for 151 seats in parliament – 140 are elected in ten constituencies in Croatia, eight are elected by members of ethnic minorities in Constituency 12 and three by Croats residing abroad in Constituency 11. Eligible citizens could vote for 177 slates in 11 constituencies and for 29 candidates in Constituency 12. (Hina)