Centre-left poised to take power in Croatia

Croatians voted yesterday in a parliamentary election, where the conservative HDZ party is expected to be unseated by a centre-left coalition just as the country prepares to join the European Union.

Opinion polls suggest the opposition Kukuriku alliance, led by the Social Democrats, will win an outright majority for the 151 seats.

The winner will inherit a nation where social discontent is rising due to a fall in living standards and high unemployment. Croatia is to sign an EU accession treaty this week that will allow it to join in 2013. AP