By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-12 12:04:39 | Updated at 2025-01-12 15:03:28
2 hours ago
Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic was the overwhelming favourite to win re-election as he faced a candidate from the ruling conservative party in a run-off presidential vote on Sunday.
The left-leaning Milanović comfortably won the first round of voting on December 29, leaving his main challenger, Dragan Primorac, a forensic scientist who had unsuccessfully run for the presidency previously, and six other candidates far behind.
“I am hoping for a victory,” Milanović said after voting. “I believe in victory because I think I am worth it and because it is important, primarily because it is important.”
The run-off between the top two contenders was necessary because Milanović fell short of securing 50 per cent of the vote by just 5,000 votes, while Primorac trailed far behind with 19 per cent.
The election comes as the European Union and Nato member country of 3.8 million people struggles with biting inflation, corruption scandals and a labour shortage.
Milanović, 58, is an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. He is the most popular politician in Croatia, and is sometimes compared to US president-elect Donald Trump for his combative style of communication with political opponents.
