Croatia conservative leader Plenkovic appointed as prime minister-designate for third term

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatian conservative leader Andrej Plenkovic has been formally appointed prime minister-designate for a third consecutive term after he forged an alliance with an extreme right party following an inconclusive election. Plenkovic’s ruling Croatian Democratic Union won the most votes at last month’s parliamentary vote in the European Union nation, but not enough to stay in power on their own. The party this week agreed to form a coalition with far-right Homeland Movement for a parliamentary majority. Lawmakers are set to approve Plenkovic’s new government next week. It will have a slim majority of 78 lawmakers in the 151-member assembly. The new Cabinet is likely to push Croatia further to the right ahead of next month’s European election.