Croatia Votes to Elect New President

Zagreb (Eurotoday) – Croatians vote for president on 29 Dec 2024, with Zoran Milanović and Dragan Primorac as main contenders.

Polling booths across Croatia unlocked at 0600 GMT on 29 Dec 2024 to choose the country’s new president in a vote where contenders from the two biggest groups are the main nominees.

About 3.8 million Croats are qualified to cast votes for one out of a total of eight contenders, 

three of whom are females, varying from left to right on the political scope.

The opposition Socialist Democrats’ candidate, incumbent President Zoran Milanovic, will head for a second period. His main rival is Dragan Primorac, an ex-science minister supported by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). The vote will go to another round if none of the nominees succeeds a majority of the vote.

What do polls reveal about Croatia’s presidential frontrunners?

According to polls, Milanovic has led before and after the election drive which analysts characterised as dull and uninspiring. The latest poll issued indicated Milanovic topping with 37.2% backing against Primorac with 20.4% support. Other contenders include Marija Selak Raspudić and Ivana Kekin, who are polling at about 10-12% and 7-9%, respectively. Their campaigns focus on conservative and progressive issues but are unlikely to significantly impact the frontrunners’ standings.

How do Milanović and Primorac differ in their campaigns?

Primarily, he is associated with the Social Democratic Party he led from 2007 until 2016, and Milanović in his terms as party head was prime minister of the country of Croatia from the year 2011 till 2016. And though on paper, the candidate claims to be a non-aligned candidate for president, many of the previous supporters such as the party SDP and several centre-left parties also including the likes of the Peasant Party – HSS and Liberal Civic Alliance, GLAS would still likely support him at the ballots.

Primorac has been officially supported by the HDZ in his presidential campaign for the elections. This is a party that is nationally conservative and has been one of the most dominant political forces in Croatia since its independence in the 1990s. Before that, Primorac was a Minister of Science, Education, and Sports between 2003 and 2009 in an HDZ-led government, thus connecting him to the party and its leadership.