According to final election results, released at 5:30am CET (Central European Time) on January 6, 2020; former Prime Minister Zoran Milanović has defeated incumbent Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and won his first five-year term as President of Croatia.

Here is a breakdown of the final election results with 100% votes processed (updated 5:30am CET):

52.67% - Zoran Milanović – Former Prime Minister | SDP
47.33% - Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović – Incumbent President | HDZ

Former Croatia Prime Minister Began Career as Diplomat

Zoran Milanović, born in 1966; was Prime Minister of Croatia from 2011 to 2016. He was also the leader of SDP (Social Democratic Party of Croatia), the largest center-left political party, from 2007 to 2016. He served as leader of the opposition twice, from 2007 to 2011 and for several months in 2016.

Milanović began his career in the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as advisor at the Croatian Mission to the European Union and NATO and was assistant to the Foreign Minister of Croatia for political multilateral affairs.

Oversaw Croatia Entry Into EU in 2013

In June 2007, Milanović was elected President of SDP and formed a coalition uniting four center-left political parties, which won an absolute majority in the 2011 parliamentary election. He became Prime Minister later that year and oversaw Croatia’s entry into the EU in 2013.

His cabinet introduced changes to the tax code and began several large infrastructure projects. Milanović also supported the expansion of the rights of same-sex couples and introduced the Life Partnership Act.

Post-Political Career as International Consultant

He served as Prime Minister until 2015 and led the four-party coalition until early parliamentary elections in 2016. Milanović announced his withdrawal from politics following a surprise defeat. He began a career as a consultant and worked as advisor to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

In June 2019, Milanović announced his campaign for President of Croatia under the slogan “A President with Character.” He ran on a center-left platform, his record as prime minister and promised to be tough on corruption.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and Donald Trump | Facebook

First Woman and Youngest Croatian President

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, born in 1968; has been the President of Croatia since 2015. She was the first woman and the youngest person to ever assume the office. In 2017, Forbes magazine listed Grabar-Kitarović as the world's 39th most powerful woman.

Before her election, Grabar-Kitarović held several governmental and diplomatic positions including Minister of European Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Croatian ambassador to the United States, and NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy.

She was the only female candidate in the Croatian presidential elections held in December 2014 and January 2015 and was runner-up in the first round. She narrowly defeated incumbent President Ivo Josipović in the second round.

International Press Attention at 2018 World Cup

In 2018, Grabar-Kitarović received international press attention for attending the FIFA World Cup quarter-final and final matches, where she wore colors of the Croatian flag in support of the national team, who finished the tournament in second place.

Gaffes and Controversial Endorsements

Her presidential re-election campaign has weathered a series of gaffes and missteps. Last month, she claimed at a campaign rally in Osijek that she had secured jobs for Croatian citizens to work from home for 8000 EUR, after they had received training abroad. However, she later declined to provide details.

While she has positioned herself as a centrist, she welcomed endorsements from several controversial and far right-wing political figures. Marko Perković Thompson, a singer known for his use of WWII Croatian fascist symbols and language in performances, backed her re-election. And Grabar-Kitarović’s website featured a video message from Julienne Bušić, American-born author and activist, who hijacked a TWA flight in 1976 to promote Croatian independence. The party of Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić, who is facing corruption charges, also endorsed her candidacy.

Former Prime Minister Maintained Solid Lead in First Round

According to exit polls in the first round of elections, held on December 22, 2019; Zoran Milanović maintained comfortable leads over Grabar-Kitarović and Miroslav Škoro, his two main opponents. Grabar-Kitarović was initially polling within one percentage point of Miroslav Škoro, which led to doubts about whether she would advance to the second round. According to final election results, Milanović received 29.55% of the vote and finished ahead of Grabar-Kitarović (26.65%) by nearly three percentage points. In turn, she eliminated Škoro (24.45%) from the run-off by a lead of just over two percentage points.

Grabar-Kitarović and Škoro, a popular folk musician, competed for support from center-right and far-right political parties and organizations, which led some analysts to believe that Škoro supporters would automatically shift their allegiance to the president in the run-off. However, pre-election polls had generated inconclusive results; with the President and former Prime Minister polling within a margin of error and leaving behind a large block of undecided voters. While Škoro confirmed that he would vote at the polls; he declined to endorse either candidate – and said that he would void his ballot.

Both candidates agreed to three debates, which were held on Monday, Thursday and Friday preceding the election. Mutual accusations of incompetence, impropriety and dishonesty dominated the discussions, which offered little on specific policy proposals.

Follow our Politics page for updates on this presidential election and upcoming 2020 parliament elections.

As of 12:00am Saturday January 4, 2020; the two-day electoral silence is in effect for Croatia. It will end at 7:00pm CET on Sunday, after polling stations close, and TCN will be providing live election updates.

Approximately 3,860,000 second-round voters will decide whether current Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (HDZ) or former Prime Minister President Zoran Milanović (SDP) will head the country for the next five years.

Widespread Electoral Silence Imposed by Croatia SEC

The so-called electoral silence is imposed by the SEC (State Electoral Commission) before any election campaign in Croatia, according to Index on January 3, 2020. On Saturday, the day before an election, and Sunday, election day; the publication of estimates, results and previous unofficial election results are prohibited. This ban also applies to photos, statements and interviews from the two presidential candidates.

The State Election Commission (SEC) urged candidates, their nominees, voters, the media and media publishers to respect the silence.

No Penalties for Violating Electoral Silence

"I urge participants and voters to respect the principles of the electoral silence. I also ask that candidates discontinue promoting themselves or their programs," cautioned SEC Vice President Vesna Fabijančić-Križanić.

“Whether or not the electoral silence is a desirable practice is debatable, but this is the law and it must be respected. We urge everyone abide by the law, even though there aren’t any penalties imposed for violating it," the SEC vice president emphasized.

The SEC reminds the campaigns not to post new posters or leaflets for the two candidates, call citizens, or send them SMS messages or e-mails asking them to vote in this second round of presidential elections.

Social Network and Media Included in Electoral Silence

Social networks are included in the electoral silence as well. Therefore, media and media publishers are expected to remove everything from their program content which represents electoral advertising: including official advertisements, links, image links-ads (banners) which lead to candidates' campaign websites.

At midnight, the deadline for Grabar-Kitarović and Milanović to collect donations also expired. According to reports, the HDZ candidate, received 2.3 million HRK (308,700 EUR) from donors as of December 27, 2019 while the SDP candidate collected 813,000 HRK (109,000 EUR).

Element5 Digital | Unsplash

Polling Stations Will Open in 47 Countries

Elections for the Croatian president continued to a second round or runoff, because none of the 11 candidates received the required majority in the first election, which was held on Sunday December 22, 2019. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes in this round will win the election.

In addition to Croatia, presidential elections will be held in 47 other countries, with the first polling stations opening in Australia as early as Saturday night, Croatian time (CET).

Live Election Updates on TCN Starting 7:00pm CET

Follow our Politics page for live updates for the upcoming presidential election in Croatia, which takes place tomorrow Sunday January 5, 2020. We will be providing by-the-minute exit poll results and final election results after the polls close at 7:00pm Central European Time (CET).

ZAGREB, December 23, 2019 - Ministers from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) quota in the government on Monday expressed confidence that incumbent President and HDZ presidential candidate Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović would win the second round of the presidential vote set for January 5.

Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said he expected Grabar-Kitarović to win in the runoff, and in a comment on the first round of the vote, he said that vote dispersion had occurred between two right-wing camps.

"In the first round the fact that there were two candidates on the right side of the political spectrum has caused a dispersion of votes and we all expect Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović to win in the second round," Marić said ahead of a session of the inner cabinet.

Culture Minister Nina Obuljen-Koržinek said that she was not surprised by the outcome of the first round, estimating that Grabar-Kitarović would secure great support in the second round.

"There was another strong candidate who aimed for that part of the political spectrum but I believe that voters will think about the results of the two candidates (competing in the runoff) carefully and there will be no dilemmas then," said Obuljen-Koržinek.

Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica said that HDZ members were not disappointed, but that nonetheless they had not expected the incumbent president to come in third in Zagreb. When asked what this said about the situation in the HDZ, he said that one should close ranks and support the HDZ candidate.

Health Minister Milan Kujundžić said that the outcome of the first round was as expected and that the second round was an entirely new game.

Asked if Grabar-Kitarović's result was a result of dissatisfaction in the HDZ, he said that presidential elections should be viewed separately from the situation in the HDZ, and particularly from parliamentary elections, where, he said, the HDZ was certain to win.

Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said he expected Miroslav Škoro's voters to support the HDZ candidate in the second round.

"We are counting on all votes," he told reporters and, as for possible cooperation with Škoro in parliamentary elections, he said that anything was possible.

"Any cooperation to the benefit of Croatian citizens is good and that is what the President said in her speech - Croatia above anything else, unity and the interests of Croatia and Croatian citizens," Grlić Radman said.

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said that the goal of making it into the second round had been achieved and that the game was about to begin anew.

Justice Minister Dražen Bošnjaković said that he was not worried about fewer votes in Zagreb and big cities because "big cities were never the HDZ's strongholds."

Transport Minister Oleg Butković said that he believed the counties where Škoro had won in the first round would vote for Grabar-Kitarović in the runoff.

More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, December 20, 2019 - The Croatian Election Commission (DIP) said on Friday that members of two polling stations in Banja Luka and one in Sarajevo had been relieved of their duties after they were found to be members of a political party, which disqualifies them for this duty.

Following a report by the Zagreb-based GONG nongovernmental association that some of the staff at the polling stations set up in Bosnia and Herzegovina for Croatia's presidential vote on 22 December are members of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), DIP made the necessary checks and found that some of the staff at polling stations nos. 26 and 17 in Banja Luka and polling station no.4 in Sarajevo did not meet requirements for this duty as they were members of the said political party.

DIP said that in the selection of people for polling committees, applicants signed statements under pain of criminal responsibility declaring they were not members of any political party, adding that it had no knowledge of the party membership of the people in question.

Croats with dual nationality are entitled to vote in the 22 December presidential election at 44 polling stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Voting will also be held in 46 other countries.

The staff at polling stations includes persons who are not members of any political party. Each polling station is staffed with six people, that is the chairperson, two members and their substitutes.

More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, December 10, 2019 - Ivan Vrdoljak of the Croatian People's Party (HNS), which nominated Blaženka Divjak as Education Minister, said on Tuesday that he believed that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković would not be deluded by petty politics of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which launched a no confidence vote against Divjak.

"I am sure that the prime minister would not fall for the politicking of the SDP," Vrdoljak told the press while coming to a meeting of the ruling coalition in Zagreb.

Asked whether the HNS would leave the coalition if the PM insisted on Divjak's resignation, Vrdoljak said that his party was concentrated on the future of the educational reform which was being politically carried out by the HNS and professionally by Minister Divjak.

The reform can be successful only if it is conducted "in this package," he added.

When asked last Friday whether he would defend Science and Education Minister Divjak from the opposition's no-confidence motion, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said "First things first."

Reporters reminded him that a few days ago he said he would wait for the motion to be filed, but Plenković said the motion was yet to be added to parliament's agenda.

More HNS news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, December 9, 2019 - The HDZ party said on Sunday presidential candidate Miroslav Škoro was a self-proclaimed sovereignist copying SDP presidential candidate Zoran Milanović, that he had been an HDZ member when it suited him, and that instead of HDZ founder Franjo Tuđman's policy, he had chosen the losing path of the Bridge party and his mentor Velimir Bujanec.

"After today's repetition and copying of Milanović's futile arguments, we remind self-proclaimed sovereignist Miroslav Škoro that the only real, genuine Croatian sovereignist was Franjo Tuđman. He fulfilled that task when it was necessary, unlike Škoro and those like him who today, 30 years later, only talk about it and try to score cheap political points," the HDZ said in a comment on Škoro's election rally in Zagreb earlier today.

"When it suited him, Škoro was in the HDZ, but now, instead of Franjo Tuđman's policy, he has chosen the losing path of his mentor (talk show host) Velimir Bujanec and MOST."

At the rally, Škoro said "there is no force which can prevent Croatia from being given back to the people."

He said the HDZ of 30 years ago and today had nothing in common, aside from the name, and that Prime Minister and HDZ leader Andrej Plenković and President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović did not have the strength required for change yet dared to say that Škoro had betrayed the HDZ.

"No, no and no," he said, adding that Plenković had betrayed the HDZ and Tuđman, Croatia's first president. He had a message for HDZ voters, saying they "must know that a vote for Grabar-Kitarović is also a vote for Plenković."

More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, November 20, 2019 - The outgoing European Council President, Donald Tusk, said in Zagreb on Wednesday that he'd had enough of serving as the first European bureaucrat and that he would embark on the struggle against populists as soon as he became the leader of the European People's Party (EPP) group.

Tusk is the only candidate to succeed the EPP president Joseph Daul.

On one hand we have political parties of irresponsible populism, and on the other hand there is our party of responsible popularity, Tusk said in his address at the EPP Congress in Zagreb, which is being held on Wednesday and Thursday.

After five years I've had enough of being the main European bureaucrat. I am ready for the fight, I hope that you are also prepared, Tusk said. His term as European Council president expires at the end of this month.

The failure of the European Union to start membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania was a strategic mistake that has resulted in the loss of credibility, outgoing European People's Party (EPP) president Joseph Daul said in Zagreb on Wednesday, stressing that the move opened the door to other big world powers.

We demonstrated a lack of vision and resolve and went back on our promise, thus losing credibility in the region and leaving the door open to Russia, China, Turkey and Gulf countries, Daul said at the start of a plenary session of the EPP, taking place in Zagreb on Wednesday and Thursday.

France, the Netherlands and Denmark last month blocked the opening of membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania in the belief that the EU should first reform its enlargement methodology.

After it received assurances that its move would help unblock its Euro-Atlantic integration process, Macedonia changed its name to North Macedonia at the start of this year after Greece had been obstructing its accession to NATO and the EU for years over its name.

Daul, who is to be succeeded in elections for the EPP president today by Donald Tusk, the outgoing President of the European Council, said also that there was a need for a strong, united Europe which could guarantee its position in the international context as no country could face challenges on its own amidst imperialist policies of Russia and China, which he described as giants with a clear vision which did not need to justify their decisions to their citizens.

We have to defend our citizens, companies and our values, he said.

Speaking of the more significant challenges, he mentioned climate change, to be discussed at the EPP congress, condemning the so-called green populism and pointing to the need to find the middle path.

We are the only antidote to populists... policies should be adjusted to challenges, starting with climate change - we cannot learn anything from the Greens in that regard. Between the green populists and insane ideas that deny climate change we have to find the middle path to fight climate change as well as secure jobs and take care of the economy, Daul told around 2,000 delegates who gathered for the conference of the biggest European political group in Zagreb's Arena sports hall.

Europeans worry about the planet's future as well as about their own future, salaries and pensions, he said.

The EPP should also seriously deal with the topic of defence because if we do not have a strong defence line, we will not be able to defend our values, Daul said, stressing also the topic of Brexit, which will happen after Croatia takes over the presidency of the EU, on 31 January 2020.

When the UK government decides what it wants, we will be able to build relations with it again, he said.

More news about European People’s Party can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, November 20, 2019 - Eight former HDZ members sent an open letter to the European People's Party on Wednesday to warn about the leadership's "totalitarian and non-democratic methods" in dealing with those with different political views.

In the letter to the EPP; which is holding a congress in Zagreb, they say they found out from the media that they were expunged from the party membership and that they were expelled "for allegedly using 'hate speech' in communication in closed WhatsApp and Viber groups of HDZ members."

They reject such accusations "with abhorrence and entirely" and note that, as intellectuals, they condemn hate speech and that they have never used nor approved of it. They add that they honoured the party's code of ethics and statute, and that they were constructive critics of the current leadership's actions.

They also say the publication of the texts violated the confidentiality of their communication.

The HDZ's Zagreb branch recently decided to launch disciplinary proceedings against eight of its members due to a particularly serious violation of their obligations as regulated by the party statute, and the party's court of honour decided to expel them unconditionally

The decision was made at the proposal of the branch presidency because they spread inappropriate messages whose content constituted hate speech, and demonstrated disloyalty to the HDZ and openly lobbied for the presidential candidates of other political camps.

The decision was made after it was determined that by posting such messages on social media they breached the party's statute and, with their communication, harmed the reputation, honour and dignity of the HDZ and its members.

More HDZ news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, November 20, 2019 - The European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, holds an election convention in the Arena sports hall in Zagreb on Wednesday and Thursday to choose its new leadership.

The EPP is set to elect the outgoing President of the European Council, Donald Tusk of Poland, as the new leader. He will replace Frenchman Joseph Daul who has led the party since late 2013.

Over 2,000 delegates from 40 countries are also due to discuss a climate action plan, youth policies and the Western Balkans.

The EPP's first congress in Croatia will be attended by heads of state and government and senior officials from European centre-right parties.

Apart from Tusk, among those attending will be the outgoing Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his successor Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz, the prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Moldova, Romania and Norway, and the presidents of Switzerland and Cyprus.

Also present will be Italian, Slovenian and Ukrainian opposition leaders Silvio Berlusconi, Janez Janša and Yulia Tymoshenko.

The EPP has not invited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban because his Fidesz party was suspended in March for violating democratic standards.

This alliance of European conservative centre-right parties was founded in 1976 and brings together 84 parties from 43 countries. With 182 of the 751 seats in the European Parliament won in May's elections, it is the largest political group in the European Union's legislature.

More news about the European People’s Party can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, November 19, 2019 - Outgoing European Council President Donald Tusk will be the new president of the European People's Party, the EPP said on Monday ahead of its congress in Zagreb on Wednesday.

The most famous Polish politician internationally will replace France's Joseph Daul, who led the EPP since the end of 2013.

Although he did not announce his candidacy, the party said on its website that democratic Poland's longest-running prime minister is the only candidate for the post.

Tusk recently said he would not run for president of Poland, which paves the way for a new European role when his mandate in Brussels ends at the end of this month.

European centre-right parties are electing a new leadership after scoring a relative victory in the European elections in May and securing the post of new European Commission president.

With a new leadership, the EPP will start drawing up a new ecology platform and youth polices, encouraged by the rise of the Greens in Europe and global protests to save the Earth.

Also high on the agenda is EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, notably after France recently vetoed opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.

The EPP is expected to propose and carry out more effective policies to combat climate change, to empower the younger generations, and to protect democracy and peace in Europe and the neighbourhood, Dahl and EPP Secretary General Antonio Lopez-Isturiz have said ahead of the Zagreb congress.

The EPP was founded in 1976 by bringing together Christian Democrat, conservative and other centre-right parties. With 182 seats, they are the largest group in the 751-seat European Parliament. Together with the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens, they make up the majority pro-Europe alliance against populist, Eurosceptic and Europhobic parties.

Over 2,000 participants are expected in Zagreb from Tuesday to Thursday at the 26th EPP congress, the first to be held in Croatia, the youngest EU member state which is chairing the EU in the first half of 2020 and is preparing to enter the Schengen and euro areas.

A number of heads of state and government are coming, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the highest European officials from the EPP, Tusk, and the Commission's outgoing and new presidents, Jean Paul Juncker and Ursula von der Leyen.

Aside from the EPP president, over 700 delegates will elect ten vice presidents, the secretary general and treasurer. The HDZ, the strongest party in Croatia's ruling coalition, did not nominate anyone for those positions.

There is no need for that, the party is sufficiently represented in top positions in the EPP and European politics, says a senior source from the HDZ, which is marking its 30th anniversary this year.

The HDZ's former foreign minister, Marija Pejčinović Burić, became Council of Europe secretary-general in June, while HDZ MEP Dubravka Šuica will be a new Commission vice president. Šuica is also the vice president of the EPP group in the European Parliament and of EPP Women, while HDZ MEP Karlo Ressler is the vice president of the Youth of the EPP.

Most of the EPP congress will take place in the Arena sports centre.

More HDZ news can be found in the Politics section.