Andrej Plenković

Andrej Plenković, born on April eighth, nineteen seventy, is a prominent Croatian politician and diplomat who has been serving as the Prime Minister of Croatia since October two thousand sixteen. His political journey began with his election as one of Croatia's representatives in the European Parliament, a role he held from Croatia's accession to the European Union in two thousand thirteen until he assumed the prime ministerial office.

Plenković's academic background includes a degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb, which he completed in nineteen ninety-three. Following his graduation, he embarked on a career in public service, taking on various roles within the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. His diplomatic career advanced as he served as deputy chief of Croatia's mission to the European Union and later as Croatia's deputy ambassador to France.

In two thousand eleven, he was elected to the Croatian Parliament, and in two thousand sixteen, he became the president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) after the resignation of Tomislav Karamarko. Plenković's leadership was marked by a pro-European and moderate campaign, leading his party to secure a plurality of seats in the parliamentary elections that year. He was officially designated as Prime Minister by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on October tenth, two thousand sixteen, and his cabinet received parliamentary approval shortly thereafter.

Notably, Plenković is one of only two Croatian prime ministers, alongside Ivo Sanader, to have served multiple terms, successfully winning general elections in two thousand sixteen, two thousand twenty, and two thousand twenty-four. His tenure has been significant, as he surpassed Sanader's record on May fourth, two thousand twenty-two, becoming the longest-serving prime minister in Croatia's post-independence history.