Predrag Štromar, the current Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, has been elected the new President of ALDE Party member party HNS, as they became the first political party in the country to elect a new leadership via online vote.

Of the 16th Electoral Assembly of HNS comprising a total of 602 delegates, 529 took part in the vote and of those who voted, 468 (88.5%) gave their support to Predrag Štromar with 49 delegates voting for his opponent Boris Blažeković.

The party’s traditional Electoral Assembly, which would have gathered more than a thousand members, had to be replaced by virtual means due to COVID19 and the use of an electronic voting system designed and developed by a Croatian company enabled the party to meet as scheduled and elect its leadership.

Upon his election, Mr Štromar said: “I have been living and breathing for HNS for three decades. I have seen everything in politics, and it is clear to me that people do not trust politics. HNS has always been a party that has tried to do everything that others have claimed is impossible. Did we make mistakes? Of course we have. That is why I decided to take this step, because I believe that by listening to each other together we can restore the trust of citizens. For me, Croatia loves work and I invite you to leave such patriotism as a legacy to your children.”

He announced that the party under his leadership would continue to take care of education, digitalisation and housing for young families. "But what I want to introduce in the HNS is even more listening to those who choose us," he said.

In addition to the party leader and deputy leader, delegates also elected new members of the Supervisory Board, the Court of Honour and the Statute Committee.