SDP leader Davor Bernardic steps down after election loss

Davor Bernardic (Photo: HINA/ Daniel KASAP/ dk)

ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina) – Social Democratic Party leader Davor Bernardic said on Monday that after the SDP-led RESTART coalition was convincingly beaten in Sunday’s parliamentary election, intraparty elections would be called but he would not run in them and vice-president Zlatko Komadina would be leading the SDP until then.

“There is a high degree of responsibility for the election result on the SDP’s part. The Presidency has therefore decided that we will call intraparty elections as soon as possible,” Bernardic told a news conference after a meeting of the party leadership.

“We are aware of our responsibility, we are not running away from it. I will no longer run for party leader, and in this transitional period until the intraparty elections, the party will be run by Zlatko Komadina,” said Bernardic.

The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) scored a convincing victory in Sunday’s parliamentary election, winning 66 seats, while the Social Democratic Party-led Restart Coalition won 41.

The Homeland Movement won 16 seats, the Bridge party eight and the green-left coalition led by the We Can! platform seven.

The coalition of the Party with a First and Last Name, Pametno and Fokus has won three seats, while the Croatian People’s Party (HNS) and Reformists have each won one.

There was a 46.62% voter turnout.