CROATIA’S ruling conservatives have scored a clear victory in parliamentary elections, but they will still need far-right support to stay in power.

With over 90 per cent of the ballots counted, the state electoral commission said on Wednesday evening that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) had won 60 of the parliament’s 151 seats and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) gained 42. The far-right Statehood Movement came third, with 14 seats, giving it a pivotal role in coalition talks.

“Starting tomorrow morning, we will start forming a new parliamentary majority in order to form our third government,” Mr Plenkovic said in his victory speech.

At the centre of the campaign were allegations by Mr Milanovic that the prime minister and the HDZ were guilty of rampant corruption and “massive theft” of state funds.

Mr Plenkovic denied the claims, saying that his rival would shift the country away from the European Union and closer to Russia.

Mr Milanovic has opposed the training of Ukrainian soldiers in Croatia and arms supplies to Ukraine.

After the president, whose role is largely ceremonial, called the election and announced his surprise bid to become prime minister, he began campaigning for the SDP.

But Croatia’s constitutional court judges said that this was not allowed unless he resigned first. Mr Milanovic ignored the ruling.