Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 17 April 2024 to elect the members of the eleventh Sabor. Prior to the elections, the government consisted of a coalition of the Croatian Democratic Union and Independent Democratic Serb Party, with parliamentary support of five national minority MPs, two MPs from the Croatian Social Liberal Party and Croatian Demochristian Party, and one independent MP, Silvano Hrelja.
The ruling centre-right HDZ won the most seats for the fourth straight election, defeating the centre-left Rivers of Justice alliance. The right-wing populist Homeland Movement finished third, with the left-wing and green We Can! in fourth place. The HDZ subsequently formed a right-wing coalition with the Homeland Movement and returned HDZ leader Andrej Plenković as Prime Minister for a third term.
Background The pre-election period was marked by speculation about the possible date of the election, potential coalitions and unification of the opposition, as well as accusations of corruption and nepotism in the government led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and his changes in ministers.
Changes of ministers in the government Plenković's two governments were marked by many changes in ministerial positions, a total of 30 ministers. Of its initial lineup in 2016, only Nina Obuljen Koržinek (Minister of Culture and Media), the Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Butković (Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure), and the Deputy Prime Minister Tomo Medved (Minister of Croatian Veterans) remained. The Bridge ministers Vlaho Orepić (Minister of the Interior), Ante Šprlje (Minister of Justice), and Slaven Dobrović (Minister of Environmental Protection and Energy) were the first to leave the government. They were dismissed by Plenković for refusing to reject the vote of no confidence in Zdravko Marić (Finance Minister) requested by the opposition. Immediately afterwards, fourth The Bridge member Ivan Kovačić (Minister of Administration) resigned from the government, as did Pavo Barišić (Minister of Education) who was facing accusations of plagiarism which were later dismissed by the University of Augsburg.
Scandals occurred in 2018, which began with the Borg affair that led to the departure of Economy Minister Martina Dalić and her replacement by Darko Horvat, who was incarcerated in Remetinec prison in 2022 after being charged with illegally awarding 2.6 million Kuna. Davor Ivo Stier (Minister of Foreign Affairs) resigned after a disagreement with the party leadership, and his successor Marija Pejčinović Burić left in 2019 after being elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe. In 2019, five ministers left the government following a series of scandals. Lovro Kušćević (Minister of Construction and Spatial Planning) after it was found that he conducted illegal real estate brokerage while he was the mayor of Nerežišća on Brač, Goran Marić (Minister of State Property) resigned after a series of real estate scandals. An indictment against Gabrijela Žalac (Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds) was brought for abuse of position and authority in the "Software affair", and her name was also mentioned in the Vjetroelektrana affair with Josipa Rimac. Tomislav Tolušić (Minister of Agriculture) was mentioned in numerous scandals and was later indicted for embezzlement with EU funds, including 2.5 million Kuna for his winery, which he received under irregular circumstances. Nada Murganić (Minister of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy) was dismissed for unsatisfactory performance.
More controversies occurred in 2020, with Milan Kujundžić (Minister of Health) leaving the government following a series of real estate scandal. Damir Krstičević (Minister of Defence) resigned after the crash of a military training plane in which two members of the Croatian Air Force died near Biljana Donje near Zadar. He was replaced by Mario Banožić, who left after committing manslaughter while driving irresponsibly. Marko Pavić was removed as Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, along with Gari Cappelli (Minister of Tourism). Vesna Bedeković was replaced as Minister for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy by Josip Aladrović, who himself was under investigation by USKOK and also resigned. Nataša Tramišak was replaced as Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds by Šime Erlić as part of Plenković's personal intentions. Ivan Paladina, Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property, was removed due to the slow pace of reconstruction after Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes.
Election date In 2023, it was reported that the HDZ was preparing to hold elections in April 2024, two months before the elections for members of the European Parliament. From conversations with several high-ranking HDZ members, Jutarnji list reported that that Andrej Plenković would collect advantages with which he will go before the voters and ask for another prime ministerial mandate in the next year, so that the elections can be held before the Easter holidays in 2024.
On 28 February 2024, Jutarnji list reported that HDZ planned to hold the General Assembly on 17 March 2024 in the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, three months before the deadline. Information subsequently began to circulate that the Parliament could be dissolved on 22 March, the last day of the 21st session of the Croatian Parliament, and the dissolution could be voted on. On 8 March, Plenković confirmed the dissolution of parliament on 14 March.
On 14 March 2024, the Parliament unanimously voted to dissolve itself, without specifying a date for the election. The following day, president Zoran Milanović announced that elections will be held on 17 April. For the first time, the election will be held on a Wednesday, while the 2000 Croatian parliamentary election was held on a Monday.
Pre-election events The first pre-election coalition was agreed by The Bridge and Croatian Sovereignists on 8 July 2023, with an open spot for other parties ranging from the center to the right including the Homeland Movement. Ivan Penava (DP) did not decline the possibility but instead called for Most to join a coalition with DP. After that DP entered a short-lived alliance with the Croatian Democratic Peasant Party on 16 December 2023. On 27 March 2024, DP concluded an agreement with Law and Justice, a party which emerged following the unification of The Key of Croatia, Let's Change Croatia and Independent list of Mislav Kolakušić. On the other hand, Most and HS decided to enlarge coalition with the Independent Youth List (NLM) on 22 March 2024.
On 28 July 2023, a coalition was agreed between two liberal regional parties, the Istrian Democratic Assembly and the Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, with a main goal to represent Istria and Kvarner in VII and VIII electoral districts. The coalition will also contest the 2024 European Parliament elections. Two more liberal parties, Focus and the People's Party – Reformists announced their cooperation on 10 November 2023. The leader of the Reformists Radimir Čačić said that with a high level of certainty they expect a large expansion of this cooperation with parties close to them, who believe that Croatia is institutionally and as a society trapped by the HDZ, and that this should be stopped and space should be opened for a different, much more modern, more liberal Croatia. Finally two groups made one single alliance on 9 December 2023. Four party leaders: Davor Nađi (Focus), Dalibor Paus (IDS), Radimir Čačić (NS-R) and Darijo Vasilić (PGS) pointed out that they are running against the HDZ and that after the elections they will not participate in the government with the HDZ, although Čačić did not rule out the possibility of supporting a minority government. On 5 March 2024, the coalition was formally constituted under the name "For Better Croatia". The coalition later collapsed after Focus decided to ally with the Republic party of Damir Vanđelić, while the Reformists still partnered with IDS and PGS in VII. and VIII constituencies and with the Rivers of Justice coalition in other constutuencues.
Social Democratic Party dissidents led by Davorko Vidović as leader of Social Democrats made an agreement with the Croatian Peasant Party on 7 October 2023, creating the "Our Croatia" () coalition. Ten days later Croatian Labourists – Labour Party joined coalition emphasizing this is just continued cooperation and trust. On 2 March 2024, the Democrats joined the coalition, claiming that they recognized the great potential for positive change as well as the courage and ability to gather broadly on the left and center. HSS left the coalition on 5 March 2024 and joined the Rivers of Justice on 22 March 2024. On 27 March 2024 "Our Croatia" announced a deal with the IDS, PGS and the NPS in III, VII and VIII electoral districts.
The most anticipated coalition of the 2024 election was an alliance of the main opposition party Social Democratic Party of Croatia and left wing contender We Can! (Možemo!). Such an idea was seen as probable because of similar policies of the parties. We Can! announced on 27 June 2023 that it would run separately, leaving the possibility after the election to form a government with parties of the center to the left, including the SDP. On 1 March 2024, Sandra Benčić (We Can!) announced the start of negotiations with the SDP on a "dotted coalition", which means a coalition in constituencies where they do not have enough support individually. In that case, the coalition would be implemented in IV., V., VII. and IX. electoral unit, while in other units the parties would go separately. On 22 March 2024 Možemo and SDP announced that an agreement was not reached, which means that they will go separately in all constituencies.
On 17 February 2024, members of the left-liberal opposition held a protest under the name "Enough! Let's Go to the Elections!" (). The protest was organized by SDP, We Can!, Centre, IDS, HSS and RF, Focus, SD, NS-Reformists, GLAS, and SsIP. The reason for the protest was the appointment of Judge Ivan Turudić as the Attorney General. The day before, the same parties submitted a request for the dissolution of parliament and the holding of early elections. Most and HS joined them with signatures even if they did not participate in the protests. The next protest was held on 23 March 2024 simultaneously in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek and Varaždin.
On 5 March 2024, a large left-liberal future coalition named For a Better Croatia was announced after an inter-party meeting. The coalition will be led by the SDP with Peđa Grbin as prime ministerial candidate and will include Focus, NS R, PGS, IDS, Centre, HSS, Glas, RF, and SsIP. On 6 March, IDS and PGS claimed there will be no coalition in VIII electoral district with other parties than Focus and NS-R, per previous agreements. On 17 March, Grbin announced that the Workers' Front would not be part of the coalition, while the Istrian Democratic Assembly, Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Fokus left the coalition on 19 March, citing Milanović's candidacy, which is not in accordance with the law, as the reason. After the collapse of the coalition, the remaining parties reached an agreement on going to the elections under the Rivers of Justice coalition.