After the second round of elections for the prefect of Varaždin County, HDZ’s Anđelko Stričak remains in office with 19 votes more than SDP’s candidate Bruno Ister. The Constitutional Court, based on SDP’s appeal, made a decision that changed the final election result by only one vote in favor of Stričak. This decision followed after the State Election Commission reduced the vote difference from 96 to 20 in favor of Stričak, and the Constitutional Court accepted the appeal related to one polling station in Novi Marof. The decision confirms Stričak’s election as prefect, while SDP failed to contest the result.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning outlets emphasize the narrow margin of victory and the role of the Constitutional Court in slightly adjusting the election results. They highlight the persistence of the SDP in challenging the results and frame the decision as a legal confirmation of a contested election.
Center: Center-leaning sources report the facts of the election results and the Constitutional Court’s decision in a neutral tone, focusing on the procedural aspects and the minor change in vote count. They present the outcome as a confirmation of the democratic process.
Right: Right-leaning media stress the legitimacy of HDZ’s candidate Anđelko Stričak’s victory and portray the Constitutional Court’s decision as a validation of the election results. They may downplay the opposition’s challenges and emphasize the stability and continuity of HDZ’s governance.
