The elections as such was deemed important to showcase whether the SDP could remain the largest opposition party, having been faced with months of falling opinion poll ratings.

Its main contenders for such a position within the political system were the anti-establishment, eurosceptic Živi zid party, and the newly formed center-left Amsterdam Coalition.

[3] The election resulted in the two largest parties in the country, the ruling centre-right HDZ, and the opposition centre-left SDP, winning an equal number of seats - each taking 4.

[8] The main campaign rally of the HDZ, held in Zagreb, was attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Manfred Weber, EPP's candidate for European Commission (EC) President.

[12] The populist Živi zid party announced a joint platform with Italy's Five Star Movement, Kukiz'15 from Poland, and Greece's AKKEL.

Ivan Vilibor Sinčić, the president of the party, presented the platform as a new generation of politicians that will fight against corruption and organised crime.

Its list was led by current MEP Ruža Tomašić of the HKS, who won a mandate in 2013 and in 2014 on the HDZ-led Patriotic Coalition slate.

[21] Second on the list, just behind party leader Milorad Pupovac, was Dejan Jović, university professor and former consultant to Ivo Josipović.

[22] As it was expected by campaign leaders jumbo posters were target of widespread nationalist vandalism and destruction which underlined the issue of ethnic intolerance and discrimination.

[22] The Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS–LD), the junior partner in the governing coalition, also ran independently, with Međimurje County Prefect Matija Posavec leading the list.

[23] Current MEP Marijana Petir, who was elected in 2014 on the HDZ-led coalition slate, ran as an independent candidate, with a campaign focused on agrarian issues.

The elected MEP's of the SDP are Biljana Borzan, Tonino Picula, Predrag Fred Matić and Romana Jerković.

Ruža Tomašić of the Croatian Sovereignists won the highest number of preferential votes and retained her seat in the parliament.