Smaller parties to be the deciding factor in the Croatian election?
In addition to two big coalition blocs gathered around SDP and HDZ, in the forthcoming elections voters will be able to choose between a range of potential “third way parties”. It is quite certain that after the election night, depending on which of these parties crosses the electoral threshold and enters the parliament, two main coalitions will have to search for additional partners, reports Vecernji List on October 15, 2015.
While some of the smaller parties are already preparing to negotiate, some are saying they will not talk with anyone. For example, this is the attitude of Marijana Puljak from Pametno party, who says that she has no confidence in those who have led the country into such a bad situation. Ivan Vilibor Sinčić from Živi Zid also believes that SDP and HDZ have destroyed Croatia, so it would be best for these two parties to enter into coalition if they fail to win a majority alone.
Božo Petrov from MOST wants reforms which the large party blocs are not talking about, and considers that to be a signal that it will be easier for SDP and HDZ to come to an agreement between themselves than to agree with him. “If the required reforms are not implemented, it is cheaper to have new elections than to have them damaging Croatia for the next four years”, said Petrov.
Other parties are ready for talks under certain conditions. President of HDSSB Dragan Vulin wants his party to be a part of the future government, since that is the only way to make positive changes for Slavonia, so he expects to negotiate with both coalitions. Radimir Čačić, leader of Reformists, is also ready to talk with both large parties, but he does not believe he will come to an agreement with them, because it is clear to him that their party programs are too different. Therefore, he says, he would probably support the idea of new elections being held. However, his coalition partner Ivo Josipović does not agree with him. He is ready to talk with SDP, his former party, but only if the party is willing to implement serious reforms.
ORaH party president Mirela Holy is ready to negotiate only with SDP, but even if the agreement is reached, her party would not enter the government and would control it from the parliament. Her opinion is partly shared by Conservative Party president Ruža Tomašić, for whom Patriotic Coalition is a natural partner, but she would also not join the government.
Željka Markić is ready to talk only with HDZ, but she has three conditions which would have to be fulfilled. Milan Bandić is convinced that he will be the next prime minister, and that SDP and HDZ will be knocking at his doors. However, the reality is that he will probably be ready for talks with both blocks.
