The ruling centre-right HDZ won the most seats for the fourth straight election, defeating the centre-left Rivers of Justice alliance.

[2][3] Scandals occurred in 2018, which began with the Borg affair that led to the departure of Economy Minister Martina Dalić and her replacement by Darko Horvat, who was incarcerated in Remetinec prison in 2022 after being charged with illegally awarding 2.6 million Kuna.

[2][3] Davor Ivo Stier (Minister of Foreign Affairs) resigned after a disagreement with the party leadership, and his successor Marija Pejčinović Burić left in 2019 after being elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Tomislav Tolušić (Minister of Agriculture) was mentioned in numerous scandals and was later indicted for embezzlement with EU funds, including 2.5 million Kuna for his winery, which he received under irregular circumstances.

Damir Krstičević (Minister of Defence) resigned after the crash of a military training plane in which two members of the Croatian Air Force died near Biljana Donje near Zadar.

[2] Vesna Bedeković was replaced as Minister for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy by Josip Aladrović, who himself was under investigation by USKOK and also resigned.

[2][3] Nataša Tramišak was replaced as Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds by Šime Erlić as part of Plenković's personal intentions.

Ivan Paladina, Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property, was removed due to the slow pace of reconstruction after Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes.

From conversations with several high-ranking HDZ members, Jutarnji list reported that that Andrej Plenković would collect advantages with which he will go before the voters and ask for another prime ministerial mandate in the next year, so that the elections can be held before the Easter holidays in 2024.

[5] On 28 February 2024, Jutarnji list reported that HDZ planned to hold the General Assembly on 17 March 2024 in the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, three months before the deadline.

[12] The first pre-election coalition was agreed by The Bridge and Croatian Sovereignists on 8 July 2023, with an open spot for other parties ranging from the center to the right including the Homeland Movement.

[18] On 28 July 2023, a coalition was agreed between two liberal regional parties, the Istrian Democratic Assembly and the Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, with a main goal to represent Istria and Kvarner in VII and VIII electoral districts.

[23] The coalition later collapsed after Focus decided to ally with the Republic party of Damir Vanđelić, while the Reformists still partnered with IDS and PGS in VII.

[27] On 2 March 2024, the Democrats joined the coalition, claiming that they recognized the great potential for positive change as well as the courage and ability to gather broadly on the left and center.

announced on 27 June 2023 that it would run separately, leaving the possibility after the election to form a government with parties of the center to the left, including the SDP.

The coalition will be led by the SDP with Peđa Grbin as prime ministerial candidate and will include Focus, NS R, PGS, IDS, Centre, HSS, Glas, RF, and SsIP.

[23] On 6 March, IDS and PGS claimed there will be no coalition in VIII electoral district with other parties than Focus and NS-R, per previous agreements.

[44] On 18 March, the Constitutional Court ruled that Milanović may not be a candidate nor could he actively participate in support of the SDP during the election campaign,[45] unless he resigns from the presidency of Croatia.

Many politicians have, in order to appeal to young voters, joined social media platforms like TikTok, among the most prominent ones being Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and the Diaspora candidate Ljubo Ćesić Rojs.

has introduced the first Croatian AI politician Nitkolina (Nikolina being a common name and "nitko" meaning "nobody") to fight fake news and misinformation.

[80] During a campaign rally in Split, Andrej Plenković criticized Zoran Milanović, who has espoused supportive stances on Russia, for "pushing Croatia and the Croatian people into the ‘Russian World’".

In April, several previously unreleased sets of leaked messages were published by Faktograf.hr that apparently testify to some dubious actions and deal-making by Rimac, involving suspicions of lobbying, influence peddling and nepotism.

[86][87] Damir Habijan Branko Grčić Mario Radić Zvonimir Troskot Damir Bakić Ivan Malenica Mišel Jakšić Igor Peternel Nikola Grmoja Morena Lekan Vili Beroš Mišo Krstičević Damir Biloglav Ivan Bekavac Ivana Kekin Nikola Mažar Siniša Hajdaš Dončić Mario Radić Nino Raspudić Gordan Bosanac Damir Habijan Sanja Radolović Mario Radić Zvonimir Troskot Damir Bakić Nikola Mažar Dalija Orešković[h] Igor Peternel Nikola Grmoja Đuro Capor Marin Piletić Arsen Bauk Davor Dretar Marija Selak Raspudić Sandra Benčić Gordan Grlić Radman Ranko Ostojić Josip Jurčević Nino Raspudić Gordan Bosanac Ivan Anušić Mišel Jakšić Ivan Penava Vesna Vučemilović[i] Marko Primorac Ivan Račan Igor Peternel Nikola Grmoja Gordan Bosanac Davor Nađi Ivan Penava Nikola Grmoja Sandra Benčić Davor Božinović Siniša Hajdaš Dončić Stipo Mlinarić Nino Raspudić Gordan Bosanac Gordan Grlić Radman Bojan Glavašević[j] Tomislav Josić Nino Raspudić Danijela Dolenec Nikola Mažar Dalija Orešković[h] Ante Šušnjar Nikola Grmoja Sandra Benčić Marin Piletić Sanja Radolović Igor Peternel Marija Selak Raspudić Danijela Dolenec Davor Ivo Stier Arsen Bauk Nino Raspudić Gordan Bosanac Nina Obuljen Koržinek Dalija Orešković[h] Marija Selak Raspudić Sandra Benčić Marin Piletić Mirela Ahmetović Tomislav Josić Nikola Grmoja Sandra Benčić Dalibor Paus Davor Nađi Katarina Peović Matija Posavec Milivoj Špika Unlike in 2016[120] and 2020,[121] the leaders of two biggest parties, HDZ and SDP, did not attend a single debate.

[130] The Homeland Movement therefore has the kingmaker position,[130] although it declined to say whether they would join a left-leaning or right-leaning bloc and setting the condition that they will not enter into a coalition with SDSS and Možemo.

who won 10, both declared after the vote they intended to start talks with potential allies aimed at putting together some form of majority administration.

[136][137] On 19 April, the Constitutional Court ruled that President Zoran Milanović was ineligible to become prime minister in the event that the SDP would be able to form a government, citing his statements and behavior during the electoral campaign.

[138] Three of the Constitutional Court judges released a dissenting opinion pointing out there are no specific arguments or regulations to justify the decision.

Such a parliamentary majority could pass several important laws, including the electoral one, as well as annul the appointment of State Attorney Ivan Turudić.

The irregularity referred to the list of candidates in the XII electoral unit where representatives of the Albanian, Bosniak, Montenegrin, Macedonian and Slovenian national minorities were elected.

"[144] On 29 April, the State Electoral Commission published the final results, setting a deadline to 19 May for holding the first session of the Sabor with president Milanović deciding the exact date.