Croatia Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković survived a no-confidence vote 79 to 55 on 21 October over toxic waste in Lika. Here is who runs Croatia and what could shake it. The post Croatia Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026 appeared first on The Rio Times .
Croatia operates as a parliamentary republic, with decision-making concentrated in the prime minister's office and the cabinet. Since 2016, Andrej Plenković has served as prime minister, leading the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the country's dominant center-right party. Croatia's head of state, President Zoran Milanović, is directly elected and commands the armed forces. Milanović, a former prime minister of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), frequently clashes publicly with Plenković.
The Sabor, Croatia's unicameral parliament, consists of 151 deputies. In the April 2024 elections, HDZ and its allies secured 61 seats, while the SDP-led coalition held 42 seats. The Homeland Movement (DP), a nationalist party, took 14 seats, partnering with Plenković's HDZ. The conservative Most party holds 11 seats, and the green-left Možemo platform has 10. Eight seats are reserved for national minorities.
In a recent development, the Sabor rejected a no-confidence motion against the government on October 21, 2026, with 79 votes against and 55 in favor. The motion, filed by the SDP, was the 44th attempt in a decade to remove Plenković's cabinet. The opposition accused the government of knowingly allowing hazardous waste to be illegally dumped near Gospić in Lika.
USKOK, Croatia's anti-corruption prosecutor, confirmed the presence of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," in groundwater at levels twice the Croatian and EU drinking-water limit. The government presented a remediation plan to handle at least 44,000 tonnes of waste, with the first phase involving the removal of 4,500 tonnes of scattered hazardous waste within 12 months for approximately €9 million.
The HDZ responded to the opposition by highlighting the Jakuševec landfill in Zagreb, operated by the opposition-led city administration. Plenković's government, aligned closely with EU and NATO, maintains political stability that benefits US investors and security planners. With parliamentary elections scheduled for spring 2028, Plenković's leadership and Poland's EU alignment are set to continue.
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