To announce to the prime minister, a bad approach of the opposition

They don’t have an answer to a single question, about salary increases, about maintaining standards or about increasing pensions and the measures we brought to reduce the rate of inflation, said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, responding to the loud voice of the opposition. which attacked the government in all ways, which already at the end of the summer began to read like an early election campaign.

Plenković also said that the public can see two Croatians during the first morning of the parliament in the autumn session, one with the ruling party, who work for the people and the economy, and the other, the opposition, which you call corrupt or high. treason. One Croatia is made up of the Government and the majority of parliamentarians, and the other Croatia is made up of the opposition. “We saw a barren and unimaginative opposition that tries to label the corrupt and traitors without any arguments. Instead of providing solutions that would help the people – not one idea and one solution, that is the difference between our results and their barren and traitors.” false criticism,” the Prime Minister summed up the current situation on the Croatian political scene.

ALL WILL BE PRIME MINISTERS

And so, by all accounts, as they like to say, a hot political autumn awaits us on the eve of the famous general election year, because by all accounts the campaign has already begun. Basically, let us remind you, the European, parliamentary and presidential elections are waiting for us in 2024, so the campaigns will heat up more in the coming months. By the way, citizens took a break from elections for almost three years, but in 2024 they will go to the elections three times. As things stand now, the EU elections will be from June 6 to 9. After that, citizens should go to the elections to choose the representatives of the Croatian Parliament. The date of the elections is not yet known, but it is assumed that they will be held in July or early autumn. Before the end of the year, the presidential election will be held, that is, the first round of the presidential election if the future president is not elected in the first attempt.

Are we waiting for a hot summer before the elections and a cold winter, political analyst Ivan Rimac says: “Considering the behavior of politicians, the campaigns have already started, first choosing what they will address in their statements”, Rimac. he said back in August, adding: “The opposition was dormant until late spring and then, with the help of several appeals and by instigating a vote of confidence in the Government, it began to play a greater role, which, of course, could not disturb the the majority founded by Plenković in Parliament…” When asked if it could be expected that the opposition would join the campaign against HDZ, he replied: “So far, I don’t see any interest in the opposition parties to take a strong line and stop thinking about their programs and start creating a unity you would be a big threat to HDZ”, he concludes.

However, as we have said, the political race has already begun, even as the party increasingly nominates candidates for the prime ministership. Something that is often unusual and illogical, because it is not a direct or direct election of the Prime Minister, as was the case for the President of the Republic. For the most part, things went wrong – first prime ministers, then plans … So for now, Peđa Grbin of SDP and Mozemo! Sandra Benčić, and soon Many will enter the race with her name. It has been speculated for some time that it could be Nino Raspudić or his wife, MP Marija Selak Raspudić, something that neither proves nor denies, but he says: “It makes no sense to present to the people a person who will pronounce a few generals. opinions about a better life… “The bottom line is that This person should provide additional value. It is ignoring politics and disrespecting the voters when the reasons for supporting the prime ministerial candidate are wrapped in well-known words. I strongly object to the submissions of many people. of new senior leaders. I don’t want to attract public attention with cheap political tricks,” he said. is Selak Raspudić. The voice of the majority on his side!

Furthermore, it is quite possible that the number of prime ministerial candidates will increase, and interestingly, the State Movement currently has no candidate. In addition, some party leaders realistically say that focusing on prime ministerial candidates leads to self-aggrandizement, and the media space is used to present everyone as better and better than others. After all, the Prime Minister is not chosen in the election, but will be determined by the balance of power in the Parliament, that is, the Prime Minister will be born mathematically after the election, according to political analysts. But already now, a large wave of prime ministerial candidates will probably change the established pattern of pre-election confrontations – one after the other. Inflation takes all forms, even when it comes to highlighting prime ministerial candidates from the opposition left and right! All this is valid and legitimate, although often strange and absurd.

That is why, in the end, the question is who will be the strongest opponent of Plenković, because the opposition has candidates, but no leaders, so we are waiting for the competition of political people, moreover, the raw balance of power between the leaders of the opposition, which at least for now, they won’t give many answers to current questions. For example, as the weekly newspaper Globus writes, September 13 was a big day for Plenković, who received the support of employers, banks, pensioners, trade unions, businesses and associations for the protection of women that day. Everyone supported him for different reasons, but everyone stood in front of the camera and congratulated the Prime Minister for his actions. Everyone supported the HDZ leader, and then, among other things, he said that thanks to his government’s actions, Croatia is living well, that they are keeping gas and energy prices in check, and that they are giving special support to farmers whose crops have been damaged due to and summer storms and those affected by swine flu… Officially it is not an election campaign, but some facts are undeniable!

In addition, as the political analyst of Globus writes, the leading position of HDZ is very interesting because there is no scandal, as the one that is often emphasized by the opposition – “gas for a penny” and the like, does not damage its popularity, which would mean that . HDZ can be peaceful, it has a solid and stronger base for the next election. Because it is clear to everyone that no one in the main opposition parties can be called a unique leader. Benčić is not like that, Grbin at all! None of the opposition leaders is “perfect”. Everyone is missing something. Lack of some important leadership qualities among SDP leaders, Mozemo! and Many, the public sees, citizens “feel” that Peđa Grbin, Sandra Benčić and Nikola Grmoja are not in Plenković’s community. Even those who do not like Plenković and HDZ will agree that Plenković has what they do not have, writes Globus.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

Professor Rimac also says that Berlusconi has shown that we no longer live in a time where the party is important, but the leader who determines the voice of the party and the way of governance is more important. “The leader is the one who represents and defines the image of the party, the consistency that should be conveyed by his statements,” says Rimac. At the same time, he adds, it is important to get voters used to the fact that a candidate is interested in winning a certain office: “You cannot say before the election: ‘This is our candidate.’ You must have a submitted resume that has been in the public eye for a long time and that the audience, which will decide the election, has been able to place it.” Rimac also reminds us of the fact that Plenković is already in the position of prime minister, so he has a clear advantage. It will be difficult for opponents to chase him in that position. “He has already presented himself to the voters, he doesn’t have to do anything. They have to decide if he is bad for them or acceptable to them,” concludes Rimac.

All in all, frankly speaking, with chaos on the left, Sandra Benčić and Peđa Grbina fighting in the campaign, it will be difficult against Plenković and HDZ, if we stick to the parliamentary elections. It’s almost mission impossible. As if it is an impossible mission for a strong and proven candidate to emerge tomorrow from the right-wing ranks who could compete more successfully with the experienced and tough on the political field, Andrej Plenković.

It is true that the parliamentary landscape as it is opens doors for everyone who has political ambitions, unfulfilled ambitions and good intentions. This is an undeniable fact, but it becomes controversial when individuals enter the political arena without leadership ability, ideas and vision, when they know little and learn slowly, but this does not prevent them from having bigger ambitions than their abilities. But that is politics. Or, to use a hackneyed phrase, politics is the art of the possible…

Damir Gregorovic