The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ, EPP), the ruling party led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, is topping the polls with 26.7% a week before local elections scheduled for 16 May.
HDZ is counting on victory in Split and Osijek, the second and fourth biggest cities in Croatia. However, polls show a close battle for the capital Zagreb.
After the sudden death of Milan Bandić, the longest-serving mayor in the history of Zagreb, polls are suggesting a big shift towards the newly established green-left platform We Can (Možemo!), whose candidate Tomislav Tomašević is a stable favourite to win, but only in the second round.