Croatia Names Next Prime Minister

Ivo Sanader, formerly a hardline nationalist, was named Croatia's prime minister designate on Tuesday and has been asked to form the country's new government. Sanader, whose center-right HDZ party won 66 of 160 parliamentary seats in elections held two weeks ago, must now piece together a ruling coalition. The HDZ has won the backing of six other parties, giving it a slim majority in the new parliament, although it still has to agree on the distribution of cabinet posts. The HDZ says it has abandoned the extremist nationalist policies of its former head, the late ex-President Franjo Tudjman, who led Croatia into international isolation until his death in 1999. Sanader says his government's priorities will be raising living standards at home, resolving unsettled issues with neighbors and acquiring EU membership. (EUObserver.com)