SDP Breathes Down HDZ's Neck

Citizens, according to survey, want Radimir Cacic for prime minister. Sanader, Seks and Racan percieved as negative politicians.

The ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) came in close ahead the largest opposition party, the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) in December, with a 0.3 percent difference, a survey conducted by the Promocija Plus company has shown.

Namely, the electorate has given HDZ 23.9 percent of their votes and 23.6 percent to SDP. The Croatian People`s Party (HNS) does not stand aside from its usual rating which has been around nine percent for the past couple of years. In December, they gained trust of  9.4 percent of citizens.

However, the Croatian electorate, when it comes to the prime minister post, would like to see HNS's Radimir Cacic rather than the current one, Ivo Sanader. The HDZ president would have won 22.9 percent of the votes, while Cacic 23.8 percent.

Croatian President Stjepan Mesic`s rating has slightly dropped due to a scandal surrounding footage of his speech to Australian Croats, but it has not harmed him either. Namely, in spite od the scandal, he is still percieved as the most positive politician in the country.

This does not go for Sanader, Vladimir Seks or Ivica Racan. The three are on the list of the most negative politicians of December. The «gang» is headed by Prime Minister Sanader with a convincing 28.5 percent, followed by the head of parliament Seks by almost 12 percent less, and Racan with 10.6 percent.