Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic won less than 50% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election on Sunday, according to official results.
The result means Milanovic will face conservative rival Dragan Primorac in an election contest in two weeks.
The President of Croatia commands the country’s armed forces and has a say in foreign policy, but most executive powers rest in the hands of the Parliament-elected Prime Minister.
What were the results of the first round of voting?
According to official results, Milanovic led the first round with 49.11% of the vote.
The announcement came after an exit poll showed that Milanovic, backed by the opposition Social Democrats (SDP), could win slightly more than 50% of the first round of votes and avoid a runoff vote on January 12.
Primorac, which is supported by the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), won 19.37% in the first round.
Independent centre-right legislator Marija Celak Raspudić and Ivana Cekin of the leftist Mojemo party won about 9% of the vote and finished third and fourth.
President and Prime Minister had a heated argument over NATO, Russia
Milanovic has been a vocal critic of Western military support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion. He has also been a staunch critic of HDZ Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
Before becoming President, Milanovic was also Prime Minister from 2011 to 2016.
During the election campaign, Plenkovic labeled Milanovic “pro-Russian” and portrayed the presidential election as a vote on Croatia’s future in the European Union and the NATO military alliance.
He said, “The difference between him and Milanovic is quite simple: Milanovic is taking us to the east, Primorac is taking us to the west.”
The election debates also included a high-profile corruption scandal within the ranks of the HDZ, leading to the dismissal and arrest of former Health Minister Willy Beros.
sdi/lo (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)