For years, Croatia has been a shining example of Balkan progress and a cooperative partner within the European Union. But over the past year there's been a worrying shift in the country's domestic politics.
Since joining the European Union more than 12 years ago, Croatia has cultivated its image as a cooperative partner within the 27-country bloc.
Unlike its far more troublesome neighbor to the north, Hungary, Croatia hasn't forged a foreign policy that deviates from the EU mainstream and it has supported all of the EU's sanctions on Russia. It has also played a constructive role with other countries in the Balkans who want to join the EU.
In terms of domestic politics, everything also seemed more or less stable. Croatia has experienced slow but steady economic growth. A coalition led by the conservative Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, has governed the country for years.
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