The party said the decision to leave the coalition with the HDZ and the joint club of deputies in the Zagreb City Assembly was a response to the HDZ's decision to break up its coalition with the DC at the national level.
After she was relieved of duty as justice minister on Friday, DC president Vesna Skare Ozbolt said that her party would no longer support the HDZ-led government in parliament. Commenting on the continuation of cooperation with the HDZ at the local level, she said that it was up to local party officials, but that the DC would not obstruct the functioning of local authorities.