Rightist Coalition Ahead in Croatia Election

According to ballots cast and counted at 31 per cent of polling stations in the country, the opposition centre-right coalition led by the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, is ahead of the governing centre-left coalition the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Sunday's general election.

Early results published at 10pm local time by the Croatian elections committee, DIP, show the Patriotic Coalition, led by the HDZ, had won 61 of the 143 parliamentary seats.

Croatia Grows, led by the governing Social Democratic Party, SDP, won 53 seats, while newcomer, the Bridge of Independent Lists, MOST, won 19 seats, and so will be a crucial coalition partner in terms of forming a government.

Exit polls delivered a somewhat different predicted result, with most suggesting that the Patriotic Coalition had a narrow lead of 57 seats over Croatia Grow's 56.

The exit polls' results were based on voter preferences in constituencies within Croatia, which account for 140 seats in parliament.  The other three seats are voted on by Croatians living outside the country.

According to early counts, regional parties the Istrian Democratic Assembly, IDS, and Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja, HDSSB, won four and two seats respectively.

The Bandic Milan 365 - Party of Solidarity and Labour, led by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, is set to win two seats. Centre-left coalition Successful Croatia, led by former Croatian President Ivo Josipovic and former economy minister Radimir Cacic, won one seat.

Another newcomer to the political scene, Living Wall, a grassroots movement focused on preventing the seizure of indebted citizens' homes, is expected to win one seat.

MOST's leader Bozo Petrov said that his party "is ready to build a better...