Intense Competition in Croatia’s Presidential Election, Milanović on Track for Reelection

Intense Competition in Croatia’s Presidential Election, Milanović on Track for Reelection
Zagreb, Croatia — Croatia's current President, Zoran Milanović, is the frontrunner in the runoff presidential election, facing off against Dragan Primorac, a candidate from the ruling conservative party, on Sunday.

In the first round of voting on December 29, left-leaning Milanović defeated Primorac and six other candidates by a large margin, despite leading the country through economic crises, corruption scandals, and a labor market shortage. Milanović failed to secure the required 50% of the vote, but Primorac trailed far behind with only 19%.

The runoff vote was necessary as Milanović fell short of the 50% threshold by just 5,000 votes, creating a constitutional requirement for the second round.

Croatia, a member of the European Union and NATO, is currently grappling with inflation, corruption, and a labor market crisis. Milanović, 58, is a fierce critic of Western military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia and is the most popular politician in Croatia. His combative political style has drawn comparisons to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Primorac, 59, ran for the presidency in 2009 but was unsuccessful. Since then, he has largely focused on his academic career, lecturing at universities in the United States, China, and Croatia.

In a TV debate, Milanović and Primorac exchanged sharp attacks, exposing Croatia’s political divisions. Milanović opposes the "pro-Russian" narrative, but last year, he blocked the deployment of five Croatian officers to NATO’s mission in Ukraine and declared he would never approve sending Croatian soldiers to any NATO mission in Ukraine.

Primorac, on the other hand, accused Milanović of aligning with political allies from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Hungary’s populist leader Viktor Orban, and Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.

Ultimately, Milanović asserts that the presidential election is not just about Croatia’s future but also about the country's international relations and political balance.