- Zoran Milanovic has been re-elected as Croatia’s president
- He won nearly 75% of the vote
- Milanovic has been a vocal critic of the government on issues such as inflation
- Croatian presidents are largely ceremonial and they must represent all citizens
Zoran Milanovic wins second term as Croatia’s president
Croatian voters have re-elected Zoran Milanovic as president, with nearly 75% of the vote in a decisive victory. His opponent, Dragan Primorac, backed by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, managed only 25%—the HDZ’s worst-ever result.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic offered no congratulations to Milanovic, saying the president “offers nothing.” Milanovic, however, said he is willing to “offer a hand” to the prime minister.
Milanovic’s leadership
Although Croatia’s presidency is largely ceremonial, Milanovic has been a vocal critic of the government on issues like corruption, inflation, and healthcare.
While condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he has also criticised Western military aid to Kyiv, drawing mixed reactions.
Before becoming president, Milanovic was prime minister of Croatia from 2011 to 2016, and led the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) from 2007 to 2016.