“Milanovic” wins second term with landslide victory
In a commanding electoral victory, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic won a second term after securing 74.58% of votes in the presidential runoff election, with preliminary results from 98.65% of polling stations. His opponent, Dragan Primorac of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), received 25.42% of votes - the worst electoral performance in the party's history. The election saw a moderate turnout of 44.15%.
The outcome has intensified the political tension between Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, with the letter refusing to congratulate the victor and dismissing Milanovic's contributions with the statement "Milanovic offers nothing." Despite this cold response, the re-elected president extended an olive branch, stating he would "offer a hand" to the prime minister.
As president, Milanovic holds a largely ceremonial role, with the constitution requiring political neutrality while serving as head of state for all citizens. His primary powers are limited to foreign policy, defense, and security matters. Throughout his first term, he has been an outspoken critic of the governing HDZ party, particularly regarding corruption, inflation, and healthcare issues. His stance on international matters has also drawn attention, notably his criticism of Western military support for Ukraine, despite his condemnation of Russia's invasion.
Milanovic's political career includes serving as prime minister from 2011 to 2016 and leading the center-left Social Democratic Party for nine years. His recent attempt to run for prime minister during last year's parliamentary elections was ruled unconstitutional, leading to his harsh criticism of the judiciary, whom he accused of being HDZ loyalists, referring to the party as "the gangster clique."
The election results mark a significant moment in Croatian politics, challenging the dominance of the HDZ party, which has been the country's primary political force since independence over three decades ago.