Ivo Sanader

Ivo Sanader was elected Prime Minister of Croatia after leading the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) to victory in the parliamentary elections. His government pursued European Union membership and economic reforms, marking a shift from the nationalist policies of the Tu

Under Sanader's leadership, Croatia began formal accession negotiations with the European Union. This process required significant reforms in judiciary, anti-corruption, and human rights, and was a key step toward Croatia's eventual EU membership in 2013.

Sanader abruptly resigned as Prime Minister in July 2009, citing personal reasons. His resignation shocked Croatian politics and led to a period of instability within the HDZ. He later attempted a political comeback but was arrested on corruption charges.

Sanader was convicted of taking bribes from Hungarian oil company MOL in exchange for favorable treatment of MOL's stake in Croatia's INA oil company. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, later reduced on appeal. The case highlighted corruption in Croatian politics.