Croatia's left-leaning president, known for his criticism of Western military support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, is up for re-election this weekend. President Zoran Milanovic, a former prime minister, is a front-runner in the upcoming presidential election on Sunday. However, with eight contenders in the race, an outright victory seems unlikely. If no candidate secures more than half of the votes in the first round, a runoff between the top two will take place on Jan. 12.
The 58-year-old Milanovic, a populist figure, has been a vocal opponent of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. The political rivalry between the two has been a prominent feature of Croatia's political landscape. Milanovic is supported by the center-left Social Democrats, the largest opposition party in Croatia.
On the other side, Plenkovic's Croatian Democratic Union party has endorsed pediatrician and university professor Dragan Primorac as their candidate for the presidency. Primorac aims to position himself as a unifying figure, contrasting Milanovic's perceived divisiveness.
While the presidency in Croatia is largely ceremonial, the elected president wields political authority and serves as the supreme commander of the military. Milanovic has been critical of the EU's stance on Ukraine, advocating for Croatia to remain neutral in global conflicts despite its NATO and EU membership.
One of Milanovic's key decisions was to block Croatia's participation in a NATO-led training mission for Ukraine, asserting that Croatian soldiers should not be involved in external wars. His main rival, Primorac, has emphasized Croatia's alignment with the West over the East.
Political analysts suggest that Milanovic's re-election would promote democracy in Croatia by providing a counterbalance to the ruling party's dominance over government institutions. The election also features other candidates, including conservative independent Marija Selak Raspudic, who focuses on economic challenges and corruption issues.
With Croatia being the EU's newest member state, the outcome of the election will shape the country's political direction and its role in regional and global affairs. The election is closely watched by the 1.6 million eligible voters in Croatia.
