Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic looks set to win a second term in office according to an early election tally.
With 63 per cent of all votes counted on Sunday evening, the former social democrat Milanovic was clearly ahead with 50.1 per cent. His challenger Dragan Primorac, who is supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ, had meanwhile collected 21.8 per cent of the vote.
Post-election polls suggested an even clearer lead. According to figures from the public broadcaster HTR, Milanovic received 50.7 per cent of the vote.
If none of the candidates achieve more than 50 per cent of the vote, a presidential run-off will be called on January 12.
Originally from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Milanovic was prime minister of Croatia from 2011 to 2016.
As president, he soon adopted a populist rhetoric, appealing not only to his core left-wing voters, but also to right-wing and far-right voters.