Croatian Elections: Court Ruling Blocks SDP Leader from Seat, Implications for EU Parliament

The recent elections in Croatia were dominated by two politicians, with implications for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June. One of the candidates, Milanović, has been critical of the EU’s policy on the war in Ukraine, raising concerns about potential pro-Russian influences in the country similar to Hungary and Slovakia. Despite winning 42 seats in the election, Milanović’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) is unlikely to lead the government based on the election results.

However, a recent verdict from the Constitutional Court has further solidified this by preventing Milanović from becoming a mandate holder even with support from smaller parties. The court had previously warned Milanović and the SDP to adhere to the constitution and advised the president to resign if he intended to participate in the elections. Despite being given ample time to resign, Milanović did not comply with the court’s ruling.

Opposition parties have criticized the court’s decision, claiming it favored the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). However, legal experts have expressed disagreement with this viewpoint while emphasizing