Croatia went to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president, with incumbent Zoran Milanovic, known for his outspoken nature, leading in the polls.
The presidential race features eight candidates, with Milanovic’s main challenger expected to be Dragan Primorac, who is supported by the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the party currently in power.
The election takes place amidst challenges such as high inflation, widespread corruption, and a labour shortage in the European Union and NATO member country of 3.8 million people.
According to a recent opinion poll, Milanovic has the backing of 37% of voters, while Primorac holds 20%.
As no candidate is expected to secure more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election is likely to take place in two weeks.
Throughout the campaign, Milanovic and Primorac have often exchanged insults. Milanovic mocked Primorac as “boring” and “fake as a 13-euro note,” reflecting the heated nature of the race.
Although the president’s powers are largely ceremonial, the position remains important for maintaining the political balance in Croatia, where the HDZ has dominated since independence in 1991.
Milanovic’s supporters argue that the presidency is the last safeguard against the concentration of power in the hands of the HDZ.
“All the eggs should not be in one basket,” said Nenad Horvat, a salesman in his 40s, reflecting concerns about the dominance of the HDZ.
Davor Kallay, an unemployed voter, expressed disappointment in the lack of significant changes since Croatia’s independence, lamenting inflation and stagnant wages.
Milanovic, a former prime minister and a prominent figure in Croatia’s political scene for nearly two decades, won the presidency in 2020 with promises of tolerance and liberalism.
However, he has used the office to criticize political opponents, including Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and European Union officials, often with controversial rhetoric.
Milanovic has also been outspoken about the war in Ukraine, criticizing the West’s military support for Kyiv while condemning Russia’s aggression.
His stance led to accusations from Plenkovic that Milanovic was damaging Croatia’s credibility in NATO and the EU, but Milanovic has maintained that he wants to keep Croatia out of unnecessary foreign conflicts.
Milanovic frequently accuses Plenkovic and the HDZ of corruption, describing the prime minister as a threat to Croatia’s democracy.
The election is widely seen as a continuation of the rivalry between Milanovic and Plenkovic.
Political analyst Zarko Puhovski noted that the conflict between the president and the prime minister remains the central issue of the race, with other topics being secondary.
Primorac, a 59-year-old physician and scientist, has returned to politics after a 15-year hiatus.
He is campaigning as a “unifier” focused on family values and patriotism, and has positioned the election as a choice between East and West, unity or division.
Throughout the campaign, he has criticized Milanovic as a disgrace to Croatia, a message that has resonated with many voters.
However, critics argue that Primorac lacks political charisma and has primarily served as a tool for the HDZ to attack Milanovic.
Some voters, like Barbara Sente Ocvirk, 36, expressed dissatisfaction with Milanovic’s representation of the country, both domestically and internationally, and believe Primorac would do a better job.
Voting stations opened at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) and will close at 7:00 pm, with exit polls expected shortly after. Official results are anticipated later in the evening.
