In a decisive victory for him, Zoran Milanovic has been re-elected as the President of Croatia, clinching almost three-quarters of the votes in the presidential election. This landslide win marks Milanovic’s second term in office.
His opponent, Dragan Primorac, supported by the ruling centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, had suffered a significant defeat, getting only 25% of the vote making this result the worst-ever performance for Croatia’s most influential political party.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s response to the election outcome was notably subdued going by reports of election observers. He did not congratulate Milanovic, stating that “Milanovic offers nothing.” In contrast, Milanovic extended an olive branch, expressing his willingness to work with the prime minister.
The role of the President in Croatia is mostly ceremonial, as enacted by the constitution, which requires the president to act as a non-partisan head of state representing all citizens. Despite this, Milanovic has been a vocal critic of the governing party, addressing issues such as corruption, inflation, and healthcare.
While Milanovic has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he has also been critical of the West’s military support for Kyiv. Before his presidency, Milanovic served as Croatia’s Prime Minister from 2011 to 2016 and led the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) from 2007 to 2016.
Last year, Milanovic briefly entered the parliamentary elections, announcing his candidacy for prime minister. However, a court ruled this move unconstitutional, leading Milanovic to accuse the judges of acting in favor of the HDZ, which he referred to as a “gangster clique.”
The HDZ has maintained its dominance in Croatian politics since the country gained independence over 30 years ago.
