The Constitutional Court has ruled that the President of the Republic has not officially resigned from his position as President and therefore cannot be the mandate holder for composing the future government or serve as the prime minister. This decision comes after the elections where two Croatian politicians dominated the results, reflecting a potential shift in the political landscape.
One of the politicians, Milanović, has been critical of the EU’s policy on the war in Ukraine, raising concerns about a possible increase in pro-Russian influence in the country if he were to form a government. The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by Milanović won 42 seats in the elections, indicating that it is unlikely for him to become the head of the government.
The judges of the Constitutional Court had previously warned Milanović and the SDP to stop acting against the Constitution and urged the President to resign if he wanted to participate in the electoral process. Despite these warnings, Milanović did not resign, leading to the Court’s decision that he cannot hold the mandate for forming a new government.
The opposition parties have criticized the Court’s decision, accusing it of favoring the ruling party. However, constitutional experts and professors have emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and respect for the Court’s decision, regardless of personal opinions or political affiliations. The ruling of the Constitutional Court is final and must be adhered to in order to maintain the constitutional legal order.