Croatia's parliament elects speaker ending weeks of stalemate after inconclusive general vote

ZAGREB, Croatia – Croatia's parliament has chosen a speaker, ending weeks of a political deadlock after last month's inconclusive general election.

Lawmakers on Monday elected Zeljko Reiner of the conservative Croatian Democratic Union with 88 votes in favor, one against and 62 abstentions.

The country's Nov. 8 election was inconclusive, with opposition right-wing and ruling left-wing coalitions winning 59 and 56 seats respectively.

The newly formed Most party, which became kingmaker after winning 19 seats, decided after weeks of negotiations to form a new government with the conservatives, ending a four-year rule of the center-left coalition.

The election of the speaker paves the way for the prime minister designate proposed by the conservatives, the little-known Canada-educated financial expert Tihomir Oreskovic, to form a new government.