HSS

A key representative of ethnic minority communities in the Croatian parliament is insisting that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic must distance himself from hardliners if he wishes to remain in power.

Ahead of talks between President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic and leaders of Croatia's parliamentary parties and MPs on Friday, a resolution to the political crisis in the country is not in sight.

A centre-right coalition is emerging as the only likely option for a new Croatian government, as President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic readies to start the first round of consultations on Wednesday with parties and individual candidates on naming a prime minister-designate.

The alliance formed by the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, Croatian Peasant Party, HSS, Croatian Party of Rights Dr. Ante Starčević, HSP AS, and three other minor parties won 41.42 percent of the vote.

Its win gives the grouping six of the 11 seats in the parliament reserved for Croatia, which joined the European Union on July 1 last year.