Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic was on track to be reelected, according to exit polls on Sunday.
Milanovic, nominated by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), was estimated to have won 77.86% of the votes according an Ipsos poll published by public broadcaster HRT.
The same exit poll put Dragan Primorac, the candidate for the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), at 22.14%.
Croatia held a runoff vote between the two contenders on Sunday after the first round of voting on December 29. Official results are expected later in the evening.
Who is Zoran Milanovic?
Milanovic was first elected president in 2020. He previously served as prime minister from late 2011 until early 2016.
A stalwart of the left-wing SDP, has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic from the conservative HDZ and they have often argued with each other.
In recent years, he has shifted towards more populist rhetoric in attacks aimed at the European Union as well as local officials.
This has helped him appeal not only to his left-wing base, but also to right-wing and far-right voters.
“I believe in victory because I think I am worth it and because it is important, primarily because it is important,” Milanovic said after casting his vote on Sunday.
More to come on this developing story.
zc/lo (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)
