Sun Jan 12 09:19:51 UTC 2025: ## Croatian President Zoran Milanovic Wins Landslide Re-election

**ZAGREB, CROATIA** – Incumbent President Zoran Milanovic has secured a resounding victory in Croatia’s presidential runoff election, defeating his conservative challenger Dragan Primorac by a significant margin. With over 90% of the votes counted, Milanovic garnered more than 74% of the vote, compared to Primorac’s roughly 26%.

Milanovic, a former prime minister known for his outspoken criticism of NATO and the West’s support for Ukraine, narrowly missed outright victory in the first round two weeks ago, securing 49.1% of the vote. His re-election represents a significant setback for the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, whom Milanovic has repeatedly accused of corruption.

While condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Milanovic has been highly critical of Western military aid to Kyiv, a stance that earned him the label of “pro-Russian puppet” from his opponent. He has also clashed with Plenkovic on numerous occasions, blocking the deployment of Croatian officers to a NATO mission supporting Ukraine. Despite these controversies, Milanovic’s combative style and populist appeal resonated with voters.

Primorac, backed by the HDZ, ran on a platform focused on economic stability and combating inflation, but failed to gain traction against Milanovic’s strong showing.

Although the Croatian presidency has limited executive powers, the position holds significant political influence, serving as supreme military commander and a key player in the country’s political balance. Milanovic’s re-election sets the stage for continued political tension between the presidency and the government in the coming five years.

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