Croatian populist president re-elected in landslide

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic won reelection for another five-year term on Sunday, near-complete official results showed.

Milanovic, nominated by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), was estimated to have won 74% of the vote, after more than 99% of the ballots were counted.

Dragan Primorac, the candidate for the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), secured around 26% of the vote. 

Croatia held a runoff vote between the two contenders on Sunday after the first round of voting on December 29. 

Who is Zoran Milanovic?

Milanovic was first elected president in 2020. He previously served as prime minister from late 2011 until early 2016.

A stalwart of the left-wing SDP, has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic from the conservative HDZ and they have often argued with each other.

In recent years, he has shifted towards more populist rhetoric in attacks aimed at the European Union as well as local officials.

This has helped him appeal not only to his left-wing base, but also to right-wing and far-right voters.

"Croatia, thank you," Milanovic told his supporters after the results were released.

"This is a big day for me personally, and I view this victory as recognition for my work, a kind of act of people's trust in me," he added. 

The Croatian head of state cannot veto laws but has a say in foreign policy, defense and security matters.

zc/lo (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)