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A presidential election is scheduled to be held in Croatia on 29 December 2024, with a second round on 12 January 2025 if no candidate receives a majority. Incumbent president Zoran Milanović is eligible for a second term. His first term began on 19 February 2020 and will end on 18 February 2025.
The first round was planned for December 2024, but on 15 March 2024 incumbent president Zoran Milanović announced he would run as a candidate of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) for the position of prime minister. During this press conference, he also revealed he would tend his resignation as the president only in case of a parliamentary election victory on 17 April 2024. If he would have become the next prime minister, the first round of the presidential election would have had to be held no later than 16 June 2024. However, since the Rivers of Justice coalition secured only 42 seats in the election, Milanović continued to hold the office of president.
On 20 November 2024, prime minister Andrej Plenković announced that the presidential election would be held on 29 December, which was approved by the Croatian Parliament on 21 November.
Electoral system
The president of Croatia is directly elected by secret ballot to a term of five years using the two-round system, with presidents limited to two full terms in office. The constitution requires that a presidential election be held no sooner than 60 days and no later than 30 days before the expiration of the incumbent president's term. An absolute majority (50% + 1 vote) of all votes cast (including invalid, blank and uncast ballots) is required to win in the first round. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a second-round is to be held fourteen days later, with the two candidates with the highest number of votes in the first round taking part. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the second round (a majority of valid votes cast) is declared the winner. If one of the candidates who has qualified for the second round were to withdraw their candidacy or die, the candidate with the next highest number of votes in the first round takes their place in the second round.
In order for a potential candidate to be allowed to contest the elections and have their name placed on the ballot, they must gather at least 10,000 signatures from eligible voters, with every signatory being permitted to give their signature to only one potential candidate. The timeframe for collecting the said number of signatures is set at twelve days, and after the expiry of this period potential candidates must submit them to the State Electoral Commission for verification.
Candidates
On 11 December, the State Electoral Commission published a list of eight candidates.
Incumbent MP for electoral district IX (since 2015) and mayor of Sinj. Co-endorsed also by Croatian Sovereignists (HS). He is running on a national conservative and anti-immigration platform. His bid was announced on 8 October 2024.
Submitted undisclosed number of signatures on 6 December.
Lawyer, jurist, and publicist. Although formally independent, he is member of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP). Co-endorsed also by Croatian Sovereignists (HS). His bid was announced on 23 May 2024.
Submitted undisclosed number of signatures on 10 December.
Professor at the University of Zagreb. Co-endorsed also by Croatian Sovereignists (HS). She is running on a right-wing and nationalist platform. Her bid was announced on 28 September.
Submitted undisclosed number of signatures on 10 December.
Incumbent President of Croatia since 2020. Milanović is standing for re-election to a second and final term. Although formally independent, he was nominated by the biggest opposition party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and by 9 other centre-left, green and liberal parties (NPS, Centre, IDS, HSS, DO i SIP, NS-R, GLAS, Pensioners' interests SU, and BUZ, and regionalist MDS). Former Prime Minister of Croatia (2011–2016) and the president of SDP (2007–2016). His bid was announced on 26 June 2024.
Incumbent MP for electoral district I, elected on Most electoral list in April 2024. She is running on a conservative, populist and anti-corruption platform. Her bid was announced on 22 July 2024.
Submitted undisclosed number of signatures on 9 December.
Businessman. His bid was announced on 2 August 2024.
Submitted some 11,800 signatures on 9 December.
Failed candidacies
These individuals failed to submit the required number of endorsement signatures.
Dražen Keleminec (A-HSP), Incumbent president of Autochthonous Croatian Party of Rights (A-HSP) since 2005. His bid was announced on 21 September 2024. Submitted 10,932 on 10 December. On 11 December, his bid was rejected by the State Electoral Commission because he failed to submit the required number of endorsement signatures. Only 7,712 signatures were verified as authentic.
Slobodan Midžić (independent), a potential perennial candidate who submitted just one signature of endorsement on 9 December. On 11 December, his bid was rejected by the State Electoral Commission because he failed to submit the required number of endorsement signatures. He had previously unsuccessfully attempted to become a candidate in 2009, 2014, and 2019 elections.
Pavle Perović (independent). His bid was announced on 13 November 2024.
Dražen Pilić (independent), president of Cultural-Sports Veterans' Association. His bid was announced on 20 October 2024.
Karolina Vidović Krišto (OiP), Journalist and former MP for electoral district IX (2020–2024). Her bid was announced on 26 November 2024. Submitted some 11,000 signatures on 10 December. On 11 December, her bid was rejected by the State Electoral Commission because she failed to submit the required number of endorsement signatures. Only 8,084 signatures were verified as authentic.
Withdrawn bids
Anton Filić (independent), former journalist of Večernji list and former president of the Union of Croatian Journalists. His bid was announced on 11 November 2024. He withdrew on 8 December.
Ava Karabatić (independent), model and television personality. Her bid was announced on 23 November 2024. She withdrew on 5 December.
Mislav Kolakušić (PiP), former MEP (2019–2024), presidential candidate in the 2019 election. His bid was announced on 23 April 2024. He withdrew on 10 December.
Aurora Weiss (independent), journalist. Her bid was announced on 11 September 2024. She withdrew on 10 December.
Campaign
Dragan Primorac has campaigned on a pro-Western platform contrasting with Zoran Milanovic's opposition to the European Union’s support for the Ukrainian war effort against Russia. Marija Selak Raspudić campaigned on a platform that included economic problems, population decline and corruption. Ivana Kekin campaigned against Primorac and the HDZ, accusing them of corruption in the healthcare sector.
Milanović was elected in the 2019–20 election as the candidate of the SDP. However, under Article 96 of the Constitution of Croatia, sitting presidents are prohibited from holding party memberships for the duration of their term. As a result, he will stand as an independent candidate, with informal SDP affiliation.
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Elections and referendums in Croatia