Croatia's Milanovic to win presidential vote, preliminary result shows

By Fedja Grulovic

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic won a second term in the largely ceremonial post, a preliminary result based on vote count in 98.65% of the polling stations showed.

Milanovic of the opposition Social Democratic Party was on track to win Sunday's presidential election with 74.58% of votes, according to the state election commission vote count.

Dragan Primorac of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 25.42%.

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Turnout in the NATO and European Union member state was 44.15% of the voters, preliminary results showed.

"Croatia, thank you," Milanovic told his supporters.

"This is a big day for me personally, and I view this victory as recognition for my work, a kind of act of people's trust in me."

Earlier in the day, after casting his ballot in the capital Zagreb, Milanovic told reporters: "In the past five years I did my job in the best faith and I hope that people have seen that."

The Croatian head of state cannot veto laws but has a say in foreign policy, defence and security matters.

During his term, Milanovic, a populist former prime minister, has confronted Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic over foreign and public policies, with the two frequently trading insults.