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Croatian President Zoran Milanović is widely expected to secure a second term as voters head to a runoff election on Sunday. Milanović, known for his left-leaning stance, is up against Dragan Primorac, a forensic scientist and former presidential candidate backed by the ruling conservative party.
In the first round of voting on December 29, Milanović dominated the field, falling just short of an outright win by 5,000 votes, with 45% of the total. Primorac lagged significantly, earning only 19%, while six other candidates were left far behind.
The election comes at a challenging time for Croatia, an EU and NATO member with a population of 3.8 million. The nation is grappling with rising inflation, labor shortages, and ongoing corruption scandals.
At 58, Milanović remains a polarizing figure and one of Croatia’s most popular politicians. Critics often compare his confrontational political style to that of former U.S. President Donald Trump. As a former prime minister, Milanović’s tenure had a mixed record, and his presidency has been marked by sharp clashes with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, whom he accuses of perpetuating systemic corruption. Milanović has labeled Plenković a “serious threat to democracy.”
For his part, Plenković has framed the election as a referendum on Croatia’s future in the European Union and NATO, accusing Milanović of being “pro-Russian” and detrimental to the country’s international reputation.
Primorac echoed this sentiment, stating that Sunday’s election is pivotal for Croatia’s direction. He described the vote as “crucial for the future of our homeland and its citizens.”
Political analyst Viseslav Raos observed that Milanović’s outspoken approach is unlikely to change if reelected. “If there was no collaboration with the prime minister in the first five years, there’s no reason to expect it now,” Raos noted.
While the Croatian presidency is largely symbolic, the role holds key political and military authority, serving as the supreme commander of the armed forces. Many view the position as a counterbalance to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which has dominated politics since Croatia’s independence in 1991.
In a heated TV debate ahead of the vote, Milanović and Primorac traded accusations, exposing deep political divides. Milanović criticized Primorac for his ties to controversial figures, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and accused him of being supported by Plenković, whom Milanović called his “sponsor.” He also referred to Primorac as “the last communist,” citing his membership in Yugoslavia’s Communist Party during the late 1980s.
Primorac, 59, countered by accusing Milanović of aligning with authoritarian leaders like Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Milanović, who has been critical of Western military support for Ukraine, denied being “pro-Russian.” Last year, he blocked the deployment of Croatian officers to a NATO mission in Germany and pledged never to approve sending Croatian soldiers to Ukraine as part of a NATO operation—a proposal the government says was never on the table.
Primorac, a former science and education minister in an HDZ-led government, has primarily focused on his academic career since his failed 2009 presidential bid, teaching at universities in Croatia, the U.S., and China.
As the runoff approaches, voters will decide between two starkly different visions for Croatia’s future—one rooted in Milanović’s combative leadership style and skepticism of Western alliances, and the other in Primorac’s pro-EU, pro-NATO stance underpinned by HDZ support.
