#newsonleo #croatia #politics Siniša Hajdaš-Dončić, former Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport, and Infrastructure in cabinet of Zoran Milanović, is new leader of SDP, Croatia's main opposition party. 1/
#newsonleo #croatia #politics Siniša Hajdaš-Dončić, former Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport, and Infrastructure in cabinet of Zoran Milanović, is new leader of SDP, Croatia's main opposition party. 1/
2/ 50-year old Hajdaš-Donćić has won 4447 votes (56.54 pct) of party members in the runoff, beating Zoran Paunović, mayor of Makarska.
Hajdaš-Dončić is repacing Peđa Grbin, who has led the party from 2020 til 2024. Grbin has announced that he won't run for party leader at regular election, following underwhelming result of SDP at 2024 parliamentary election.
Like Grbin, Hajdaš-Dončić is considered a Milanović loyalist.
Interestingly enough, Hajdaš-Dončić began his political career as member of HDZ, Croatia's centre-right and currently ruling party. He made the switch to SDP in 2005 while serving as epartment for Economy, Agriculture, and Tourism in Krapina-Zagorje County from 2002 til 2006. In 2009 he was directly elected for governor of Krapina-Zagorje County and served at the spot until being appointed as government minister in 2012. From 2016 onwards, Hajdaš-Dončić served as member of Croatian Parliament.