The coalition of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) has won the most seats in the city councils in Zagreb and Rijeka, while the coalition headed by the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leads in Split and the regional Croatian Democratic Party of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) in Osijek, exit polls showed after the close of polling stations at 7pm on Sunday.
In Zagreb, the SDP-led coalition leads with 26.48%, followed by the slate of independent candidate Milan Bandic at 25.18%. The HDZ-led coalition has won 15.70% and the one headed by the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) 10.90%.
In Rijeka, the SDP coalition has received 45.83% of the vote, the HDZ 17.04%, the Labour Party 14.23% and the regional Primorje-Gorski Kotar Alliance (PGS) 10.32%.
In Split, the HDZ coalition leads with 23.16%, followed by the SDP coalition with 21.04%, the local Croatian Civic Party (HGS) of the incumbent mayor Zeljko Kerum 11.71%, and the independent slate of Ivan Grubisic 11.27%.
In Osijek, most votes so far have gone to the HDSSB, 31.06%, followed by the SDP with 20.67% and the HDZ with 13.92%.
The exit polls were conducted by Ipsos Puls agency for national television networks HTV, Nova TV and RTL.
