Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic survived his second no-confidence vote of the year on December 6, deflecting opposition efforts to unseat his government over a high-profile corruption scandal involving a former health minister.

The motion was initiated by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP). The parliament voted 76-64 against the motion, falling short of the 76 votes needed to oust the government.

The controversy centres on Vili Beros, the former health minister arrested last month on charges of bribery and manipulation of public procurement processes. Beros, who denies wrongdoing, was dismissed by Plenkovic immediately after his arrest. 

The investigation, led by Croatia’s State Attorney and European prosecutors, has since expanded with new evidence surfacing, and the government has struggled to restore confidence in the healthcare system. 

Plenkovic defended his government’s handling of the case, during a parliament debate earlier in the week. "Given the circumstances, which are serious, namely the corruption scandal involving Minister Beros, I understand your [no-confidence] initiative, and probably, we would do the same in your place. But as for your final goal... that will not succeed,” he told MPs, according to a parliament statement. 

He added: "We are more appalled by this scandal than you are, and we are more sorry about it than you are."

This latest motion comes just weeks before Croatia's presidential election on December 29, adding political pressure to Plenkovic’s administration. 

The opposition was, however, widely expected to fall short of the majority it needed to bring the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)-led government down, as a similar vote in May failed with 79 deputies rejecting it.

Plenkovic’s government has sought to regain public trust by nominating Irena Hrstic, a gastroenterologist and former hospital director, as the new health minister. Hrstic has pledged reforms to overhaul Croatia’s healthcare system, including an audit of procurement processes and regulatory revisions to address inefficiencies. Hrstić’s plans also target critical issues such as shortages of doctors and uneven access to primary care.