Croatia heads to presidential runoff as first round fails to produce majority
After the initial vote on December 22, 2019, no candidate secured more than half the ballots, forcing a second round set for January 5, 2020. The first round gave liberal former prime minister Zoran Milanović about thirty percent of the support, while incumbent conservative president Kolinda Grabar Kitarović received roughly twenty‑seven percent. A right‑wing musician, Miroslav Škoro, finished just behind with close to twenty‑four percent, leaving the other eight contenders far behind.
The outcome came at a politically charged moment. Only two days after the December 22 vote, Croatia took over the rotating presidency of the European Union for the first time in its history.
The governing Croatian Democratic Union had hoped to use the EU chairmanship to showcase stability and continuity, but the split vote exposed fissures within the conservative camp and placed Milanović, a frequent critic of the government, in the lead heading into the runoff. President Kitarović described the first round as a “10‑on‑one battle” against her and is now urging the backers of Škoro and other right‑leaning candidates to rally behind her. She argues that, with no other right‑wing alternative remaining, those voters are likely to consolidate around her candidature.
Whether that calculation holds remains uncertain, as Škoro—a nationalist populist who divided the conservative vote—has not yet endorsed either of the finalists. His supporters may stay home or split their allegiance in unpredictable ways.
Milanović struck a contrasting tone, calling for a “civilized race rather than a battle” and asserting that the better candidate should win the nation’s highest office. He added that he believes he is that better candidate. His party, the Social Democratic Party, has long been at odds with the conservatives, and the electorate remains deeply divided along ideological lines.
Critics of the government have pointed out that the election was scheduled just three days before Christmas, a period when many Croats travel abroad for holiday celebrations. Although official turnout figures were not released with the first‑round results, the timing drew complaints from various quarters.
The government proceeded with the calendar it had established prior to the handover of the EU presidency. While the Croatian presidency is largely ceremonial, the office carries moral authority and can influence foreign policy and military matters. The winner will serve as the country’s public face during its inaugural six‑month EU presidency term, which began on January 1, 2020.
That role entails coordinating EU policy discussions and representing the bloc in certain international settings. A fragmented government and a weakened president could complicate the execution of those duties.
