Zoran Milanović has secured another term as President of Croatia after winning the election with an overwhelming majority. His re-election marks a continued Eurosceptic stance and a clear unwillingness to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Milanović, who often criticizes EU policies and Western support for Kiev, received a whopping 74.6% of the vote in the election, with his conservative opponent Dragan Primorac receiving only 25.3% support.
The victory reinforces Milanović’s position as one of the most outspoken and controversial leaders in the EU.
– It’s a plebiscite message from the Croatian people to all those who ought to hear it, and I ask that they listen, said Milanović in his victory speech.
During his first term, Milanović refused to allow Croatian participation in NATO’s training program for Ukrainian soldiers. He has also repeatedly criticized Western economic and military aid to Ukraine.
In his victory speech, he stressed that he intends to be “an equal participant in matters of foreign policy… In matters of defense and security, I will serve as the Commander-in-Chief – not as an equal, but as the highest-ranking authority – because that is what the Constitution stipulates“.
Tensions between President and Prime Minister
Tensions between Milanović and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković now risk deepening. Plenković, who leads the pro-EU conservative HDZ party, has not yet congratulated the president on his victory. Milanović, for his part, has announced talks with the government to discuss the country’s political direction.
The president’s role in Croatia is mainly ceremonial, but the office’s influence in defense and foreign policy gives him a central voice on issues related to the country’s relationship with the EU and NATO.
Milanović’s positions, which often reflect a somewhat broader trend of Euroscepticism in the region, can thus be said to place Croatia in the same camp as countries like Hungary and Slovakia.
He has repeatedly argued that Croatia should not be drawn into a “geopolitical game” that he believes mainly benefits great powers like the United States.
In a broader context, Milanović’s policies raise questions about the future of the EU and its common stance towards Ukraine. His re-election highlights a growing division within the Union, with several member states expressing dissatisfaction with continued support for Kiev.
