For the second time in less than a year, Croatia held a snap election to choose a new government. 

Exit polls predict a close outcome in Sunday’s election between candidates of the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)and the left-leaning Social Democrats and their People’s Coalition, possibly resulting in a new parliament that some say could be another barely-functioning government, adding more to political uncertainty in the country.

Almost 7,000 polling stations close at 1700 GMT, with the first preliminary official results expected late Sunday (2000 GMT).

Opinion polls have indicated the Social Democrat-led four-party alliance will win at least 60 of 151 seats, but the HDZ will still be just a few seats behind. Analysts say none of the parties will win enough votes to rule alone.

The news of the snap vote for the European Union’s newest member came a day after parliament was formally dissolved and less than a year after the last vote.

Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic’s center-right coalition government collapsed because of bickering between the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party and its junior reformist partner MOST.

The political deadlock has stalled economic reform for Croatia’s economy, one of the weakest in the EU bloc.

Nearly four million people are eligible to vote in Croatia.

Some material for this report came from AP, AFP and Reuters. [Read More]

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Source: VOA News: Bangladesh