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Croatians went to the polls Sunday to elect a new president in an uncertain vote where the conservative incumbent — trying to unite a fractured right wing — faces a serious challenge from a leftist former prime minister.<\/p>\n
Some 3.8 million people are eligible to vote in a poll that is being held just days after Croatia took over the European Union’s helm for a six-month period, which will be dominated by Brexit and the bloc’s enlargement.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the EU’s newest member is struggling with a mass exodus of its people, corruption and a lacklustre economy at home.<\/p>\n
Centre-right incumbent, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, is campaigning on a “real Croatia” ticket, and Zoran Milanovic, a former Social Democratic premier, is promising a “normal” liberal democracy of equal citizens.<\/p>\n
The outcome of the vote for the largely ceremonial post is uncertain, with the latest survey by Ipsos agency giving Milanovic a three-percentage-point lead over Grabar-Kitarovic.<\/p>\n
The latter, backed by the ruling HDZ party, will have to lure back hardliners who voted for a nationalist folk singer in the election’s first round in December.<\/p>\n
Dominating in cities, Milanovic led the first round with around a third of the vote, thanks in part to that split among the right-wingers.<\/p>\n
Analysts said the first-round results showed an increase in support for hardliners, a trend seen in other European countries such as Poland or Hungary.<\/p>\n
– ‘Croatia that unifies’ –<\/p>\n
If Grabar-Kitarovic fails to win the presidency, it would deal a heavy blow to the HDZ, whose moderate Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic faces parliamentary elections later this year.<\/p>\n
“I am a Croatia that unifies,” Grabar-Kitarovic, 51, said during a TV election debate with her rival.<\/p>\n
Unity, patriotism and references to the 1990s independence war that remains an emotive issue, were the key points her re-election bid.<\/p>\n
“We should come together as in 1990”, before the country declared independence from Yugoslavia, Croatia’s first female president told her supporters in Zagreb.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Milanovic insisted that the “wars are over” and Croatia should now fight for its place in Europe.<\/p>\n
“There is no ‘real Croatia’… rather a Croatian republic for all, equal citizens,” the 53-year-old told a campaign rally in his native Zagreb.<\/p>\n
– Accelerated exodus –<\/p>\n
Presenting herself as the “woman of the people” with humble farming roots, Grabar-Kitarovic is well known for stunts such as singing in public which her critics deride as embarrassing.<\/p>\n
She has also come under fire for downplaying the crimes committed by Croatia’s World War II pro-Nazi regime.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Milanovic is trying to make a political comeback and throw off a reputation as arrogant and elitist.<\/p>\n
Premier from 2011 until 2016, he was welcomed at the time as a bright, young politician clean of the corruption tainting the rival HDZ.<\/p>\n
But the excitement waned after his government failed to push through much-needed reforms.<\/p>\n
The ruling HDZ hopes to keep Grabar-Kitarovic in office during the country’s EU presidency where four main issues are likely to dominate — the bloc’s relationship with the UK after Brexit; the membership bids of Western Balkan states; climate change; and the bloc’s budget framework for the next decade.<\/p>\n
Croatia joined the EU in 2013, but its economy, strongly relying on tourism on its Adriatic coast, remains one of the bloc’s weakest.<\/p>\n
EU’s open borders also accelerated the exodus of its people to seek better pay in wealthier member states.<\/p>\n
“Our youngsters are leaving, that is the biggest problem” while politicians are only “insulting each other”, Stjepan Golub, a 70-year-old man from Zagreb, told AFP.<\/p>\n
Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) and close 12 hours later, with first results are expected around 1900 GMT.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n