ZAGREB: Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic urged parliament on Friday to dissolve itself "as soon as possible" to pave the way for snap elections that seem inevitable after the government's fall.
Croatia's conservative government fell Thursday after Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic lost a confidence vote, in a serious blow to the country's nationalist rulers after only five months in power.
"I urge the speaker of the parliament to call as soon as possible a session so the lawmakers can decide on dissolution of the assembly," Grabar-Kitarovic said.
Following a meeting with party leaders from parliament, she said no group had managed to form a new governing coalition.
According to Grabar-Kitarovic, a majority of MPs were convinced that "calling early elections is necessary."
The president does not have the power to call new polls until parliament has voted to dissolve itself.
According to the N1 television channel, Croatia's parliament is to meet on Monday and could then set a date to vote on dissolution, which would pave the way for polls within two months at the latest.
The elections will delay planned reforms in the European Union's newest member, whose economy -- which only last year emerged from a six-year recession -- remains one of the bloc's weakest.
Oreskovic, a former pharmaceutical executive with no party affiliation, came to power pledging to undertake badly-needed economic reforms.
But he lost the support of HDZ, a senior partner in the fragile coalition. The coalition has had internal disputes and raised concerns over Croatia's shift to the right after it was formed following November's inconclusive elections.
Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group said the early elections were unlikely to offer a clear majority for a single party.
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