Jadranka Kosor is the first woman to be elected prime minister of Croatia. Croatia’s parliament yesterday evening approved the appointment of Kosor, who replaces Ivo Sanader after his sudden resignation last Wednesday.

The Croatian president, Stjepan Mesic, asked the then vice-premier Kosor three days ago to form a new government. Mesic said that he expects that the new government will continue to lead very clear and decisive pro-European policies.

Kosor was elected as the new president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on July 4 when 9,000 party officials voted for her during a general assembly of the party, and Sanader has been named the honorary president.