Croatia Holds Presidential Election

Croatians on 29 December elect the new president, while current President Zoran Milanovic is leading by polls.

His main rival in presidential elections, where eight people compete for this largely ceremonial post, is Dragan Primorac, who is supported by the conservative HDZ party, which currently the government with Croatia.

The elections are held at a time when the state, which is a member of the European Union and NATO, is facing high inflation, corruption and lack of workforce.

According to a poll released Friday, Milanovic has the support of 37 per cent of the electorate, meanwhile Primorac has the support of 20 per cent of voters.

However, none of the candidates are expected to win more than 50 per cent of the vote, and the new president is expected to be elected in the run-off round, to be held in two weeks.

During the campaign, the two main rivals have exchanged charges, with Milanovic making fun of Primorac, calling him the boring “”.

The president in Croatia is commander of the armed forces and has words concerning foreign policy decisions.

But despite limited powers, many believe this post is key to the balance of political power in the state that has largely been led by the HDZ since independence in 1991.

Milanovic, 58, a left-wing politician in the past has been a prime minister and is one of the main political figures in the state for almost two decades.

During his term as president, he has used this post to attack political opponents and EU officials, often using insulting and populist rhetoric.

Milanovic, has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but has criticised Western military assistance to Kiev. This has prompted the prime minister, Andrej Plenkovic, to call it the project, which “is destroying Croatia's credibility in NATO and the EU”.

However, Milanovic has argued his stance, saying he wants to protect Croatia from the “introduction to war”.

Meanwhile, his political rival, Primorac, 59, has campaigned and presented himself as “unification” and one promoting family values and patriotism.

The elections will show “whether Croatia is returning from East or West... From divisions or from unity”, he stated.

The polling stations are open at 7: 00 p.m. and will be closed at 7:00, when polls are expected to be released. Meanwhile, official results are expected to be made public in late hours Sunday. /Radio Europe Free