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Almost three-quarters of the votes cast in Croatia’s presidential election went to Zoran Milanovic, who was re-elected with a landslide victory.

Despite his outspoken and frequently divisive leadership style, Milanovic’s victory demonstrates the broad support for the former prime minister.

His opponent, Dragan Primorac, received a meagre 25 percent of the vote, which led to a devastating defeat. Supported by the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which has dominated Croatian politics for more than three decades, Primorac’s performance was the party’s poorest electoral outcome.

The HDZ’s leader, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, remained composed in the face of the result and declined to congratulate Milanovic. Rather, Plenkovic said, “Milanovic offers nothing,” dismissing the president’s triumph.

Milanovic used a conciliatory tone in his victory speech, saying he was willing to cooperate with the government in spite of their political disagreements. He declared, “I will offer a hand to the prime minister.”

Milanovic has used his position to criticise the ruling party on important topics like corruption, inflation, and healthcare, despite the fact that the Croatian presidency is primarily ceremonial. Voters dissatisfied with the HDZ’s enduring hold on power have frequently found resonance in his remarks.

Milanovic has taken a balanced stand internationally, condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while also denouncing Western military assistance to Kyiv. His strategy, which reflects his autonomous political style, has occasionally put him at odds with allies in Europe.

Prior to becoming president, Milanovic led the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) for almost ten years and was Croatia’s prime minister from 2011 to 2016. Known for using blunt expressions, he once called the HDZ a “gangster clique,” highlighting the fierce political competition between the two factions.

Milanovic announced a bid for prime minister last year in an attempt to briefly return to parliamentary politics, but the move was ultimately declared unconstitutional. He said that the judiciary was influenced by the HDZ, which heightened tensions between the administration and the president.

With voters voicing dissatisfaction with the HDZ’s hegemony, Milanovic’s resounding reelection marks a change in Croatian politics. For a party that has influenced Croatia’s history since gaining independence, the election result raises questions about its future strategy and leadership.

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