Croatian president faces runoff after missing outright win

Zagreb, December 30, 2024 – Croatian President Zoran Milanović will face ruling party candidate Dragan Primorac in a runoff on January 12, after falling short of a first-round victory.

Milanović, a Social Democrat seeking a second term, secured twice as many votes as his rival but did not reach the 50% needed to win outright. Primorac, backed by the ruling Democratic Union, now has two weeks to rally support.

The result sets up a decisive contest between Milanović’s progressive platform and Primorac’s promise of economic reform, with voter turnout likely to be key.