International Partial results: Milanovic ahead of election victory in Croatia
In the presidential election in Croatia, incumbent Zoran Milanovic is heading for victory in the race for a second term in office. After 63 percent of all votes had been counted, the former Social Democrat Milanovic was clearly ahead with 50.1 percent on Sunday evening. His challenger Dragan Primorac, who is supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ, can therefore count on 21.8 percent of the vote.
29.12.2024, 21:33
SDA
Post-election polls suggested an even clearer lead. According to figures from the public television station HTR, Milanovic received 50.7 percent of the vote. If none of the candidates achieve more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off election will be necessary on January 12.
Milanovic comes from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and was Prime Minister of the country, which joined the EU in 2013, from 2011 to 2016. As president, he soon adopted a populist rhetoric, appealing not only to his core left-wing voters, but also to right-wing and ultra-right-wing voters.
In addition to Milanovic and Primorac, six other people ran for the highest state office, including three women. None of them were considered to have a chance of reaching the run-off. According to the first partial results, Marija Selak-Raspudic, an independent right-wing politician, and Ivana Kekin from the green-left party Mozemo each received 8 percent of the vote.
