Local elections were held on May 18, 2025, in all counties, cities, and municipalities of the Republic of Croatia. Citizens elected prefects, mayors, members of county assemblies, town and municipal councils, and deputies from among national minorities.
Voter turnout
Total turnout: 33.06% (1,096,000 voters out of 3.5 million with the right to vote), which is 2.5 percentage points less than in 2021.
The highest turnout was recorded in Lika-Senj County (45.10%), Krapina-Zagorje County (39.07%), and Dubrovnik-Neretva County (38.68%), while the lowest turnout was in Osijek-Baran County (29.88%), Međimurje County (30.16%), and the City of Zagreb (31.25%).
Results in counties
| COUNTY | WINNER (COUNTY) | COALITION PARTY | % VOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zagrebačka | Stjepan Kožić | SKNL/HDZ/HSU/DP | 42,16 |
| Krapinsko-zagorska | Željko Kolar | SDP/HSS/Reformisti | 63,71 |
| Sisačko-moslavačka | Ivan Celjak | HDZ/HSU/HSLS/HPSS/HNS | 67,44 |
| Karlovačka | Martina Furdek-Hajdin | HDZ | 54,85 |
| Varaždinska | Anđelko Stričak | HDZ/HSLS/SUS | 38,35 |
| Koprivničko-križevačka | Darko Koren | HDZ/Mreža | 35,92 |
| Bjelovarsko-bilogorska | Marko Marušić | HDZ/DHSS/HSU | 56,77 |
| Primorsko-goranska | Ivica Lukanović | SDP/PGS/IDS/HSS/RI/SDSS | 33,48 |
| Ličko-senjska | Ernest Petry | HDZ/HSS/HSU/HBS | 49,45 |
| Virovitičko-podravska | Igor Andrović | HDZ/HSU/HSLS | 72,13 |
| Požeško-slavonska | Antonija Jozić | HDZ/HSU | 62,30 |
| Brodsko-posavska | Danijel Marušić | HDZ/HSU | 48,32 |
| Osječko-baranjska | Nataša Tramišak | HDZ/DP/DESNO/HSLS | 55,49 |
| Vukovarsko-srijemska | Ivan Bosančić | HDZ/DP/DHSS/HSU/HSLS | 47,08 |
| Zadarska | Josip Bilaver | HDZ/HDS/HSP AS/HSU | 49,72 |
| Šibensko-kninska | Paško Rakić | HDZ/HSS/HDS/DP | 41,22 |
| Splitsko-dalmatinska | Blaženko Boban | HDZ/DP/HSP AS | 45,01 |
| Istarska | Sanja Radolović | SDP/HSS/GLAS | 29,26 |
| Dubrovačko-neretvanska | Blaž Pezo | HDZ/HSS/HSLS/HSU/DP | 43,67 |
| Međimurska | Matija Posavec | NPS/HSU/HSLS/SDP | 82,33 |
In counties where no one won more than 50% of the votes, a second round of elections was held on June 1, 2025.
The results in the four largest cities
| CITY | MAYOR (WINNER) | PARTY/COALITION | % VOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zagreb | Tomislav Tomašević | Možemo!/SDP | 47,59 |
| Split | Tomislav Šuta | HDZ | 30,54 |
| Rijeka | Iva Rinčić | Nezavisna | 41,07 |
| Osijek | Ivan Radić | HDZ | 70,95 |
Results for the Zagreb City Assembly
| LIST/COALITION | MANDATES (out of 47) | % VOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Možemo!/SDP | 25 | 43,66 |
| HDZ/DP/HSU/HSS | 8 | 15,09 |
| NL Marije Selak Raspudić | 7 | 13,37 |
| NL Davor Bernardić/Servus Zagreb | 4 | 7,20 |
| NL Tomislava Jonjića | 3 | 6,40 |
Results in other cities and municipalities
In most cities and municipalities, the candidates of HDZ, SDP, independent lists or local coalitions won. In Čakovec, Ljerka Cividini (NPS) won with 60.52% of the votes, and NPS has a majority in the City Council. In Virovitica, Ivica Kirin (HDZ) won 57.64% of the votes, and HDZ and partners won the majority in the City Council.
Key political tendencies
HDZ retained or won most of the counties, cities, and municipalities, but in some urban areas (Zagreb, Rijeka, Čakovec) the left and independent lists gained strength.
SDP and its partners achieved good results in northwestern Croatia and specific cities.
Independent lists and local platforms (NPS, Mozemo!, Centar) are gaining strength in urban areas and certain counties.
Minority representation: Deputy prefects were elected from among the Serbian, Czech, Italian, and Roma national minorities in counties where the law prescribes it.
Local elections in 2025 confirmed the stability of the HDZ at the national level, as well as the growth of the influence of independent and local newspapers in the cities. Turnout was lower than in previous years, and the political scene remains diverse, with marked regional differences and pluralism in larger urban areas.
About the Author
