dpa
Zagreb
Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic has secured a second term in office with a clear lead in a run-off vote, according to exit polls.
A poll by the state broadcaster HRT suggests Milanovic, a Social Democrat, has won 78% of votes, while his challenger, Dragan Primorac, received 22%. He is supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ.
Milanovic had already dominated the first round of the presidential election on December 29, winning 49% of the vote in that round. If he had managed to get over 50 %, he would have won the race back then. Primorac only managed to get 19% of the vote.
Milanovic comes from the Social Democratic Party and was prime minister of the country from 2011 to 2016. As president, he adopted a populist rhetoric and a casual style during his five-year term. This appeals not only to his left-wing core voters, but also to right-wing and ultra-right voters.