Ivo Sanader, who was appointed prime minister of Croatia on 23 December 2003, resigned last week.

Sanader’s resignation had been mooted for some time but the announcement came as a surprise because, Nacional reports, Sanader stated he was also stepping down as leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and that he was quitting politics altogether. Previously, rumours of his resignation were made in the context that he would leave government so as to stand for the presidency in January 2010.

Balkan Insight proposes a number of possible reasons for Sanader’s resignation, but the main theme that comes across is one of surprise at the announcement and confusion as to the reason why.

The incumbent president, Stjepan “Stipe” Mesic, who was first elected in 2000, has 30 days to appoint a successor. Sanader has proposed Deputy Prime Minister, Jadranka Kosor, of the ruling HDZ party as his preferred successor.