The incumbent Croatian President, Zoran Milanović, has secured a second term in office with a landslide victory. Milanović, known for his critical stance against the EU and NATO, as well as his rejection of Western aid for Ukraine, garnered 74.68% of the vote in the runoff election, easily outpacing his rival, Dragan Primorac, from the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
According to the state electoral commission, around 45% of the approximately 3.5 million registered voters cast their ballots. Milanović, in his victory speech, urged those who needed to listen to heed the message of the Croatian people. Primorac conceded defeat, stating that the people of Croatia have spoken and that the outcome must be respected.
The military aid for Ukraine was a central theme in the campaign. Milanović has consistently criticized Croatia’s support for Ukraine, describing the conflict as a proxy war of the NATO against Russia. Last year, he used his presidential authority as the country’s chief of the armed forces to block the deployment of five Croatian officers to a NATO mission in Germany, making Croatia and Hungary the only EU member states not participating in the NATO program for security assistance and training for Ukraine (NSATU).
Milanović emphasized his intention to be an equal participant in foreign policy matters, stating, “I will function as the highest authority in matters of defense and security – not as an equal participant, but as the highest authority, as the Constitution provides.”
The Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, had previously referred to Milanović as “pro-Russian” and “Putin’s Poodle” accusing him of being a threat to democracy and Croatia’s international reputation. Milanović rejected these claims, stating that his primary concern is to prevent Croatia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
Despite the tense relationship, Milanović expressed a willingness to extend an olive branch to the Prime Minister, only to be rebuffed. Plenković declined to offer a congratulatory message, stating that Milanović has nothing to offer.
Milanović, a member of the Social Democratic Party, has been the President of Croatia since February 2020, having previously served as the country’s Prime Minister from 2011 to 2016.