Croatia to vote after insult-filled presidential race
ZAGREB
A cyclist rides past campaign posters of presidential candidates Dragan Primorac and Maria Selak Raspudic ahead of the presidential election in Zagreb, Croatia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024.
Croatians will vote on Dec. 29 in the Balkan country's presidential election, with opinion polls widely predicting the outspoken incumbent Zoran Milanovic will win after a bruising campaign.
His main challenge is likely to come from the ruling HDZ party's Dragan Primorac, who Milanovic has ridiculed as dull and as "fake as a 13-euro note."
With the two main contenders often trading insults, analysts say none of the eight candidates are likely to win the 50 percent of votes to win outright, which would set up a runoff on Jan. 12.
The election comes as the European Union member country struggles with biting inflation, widespread corruption and a labor shortage.
Milanovic, 58, has been one of Croatia's leading and most colorful political figures for nearly two decades, known for his sharp wit and sometimes bombastic statements.
He took the presidency, which is largely ceremonial, for the opposition Social Democrats (SDP)in 2020 on a platform promising to promote tolerance and liberalism.
But after taking office, Milanovic used the office to take aim at political opponents and EU officials, often with offensive language.
For many, the election is a continuation of his feud with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
"It is a duel between the prime minister and president, which is a constant of Croatia's politics for the past decade," political analyst Tihomir Cipek told AFP.
Milanovic has denounced the EU's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, prompting Plenkovic to accuse him of holding "pro-Russian views" and "destroying Croatia's credibility in NATO and the EU."
