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'''Presidential elections''' were held in ] on 28 December 2014. Since no candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off will take place on 11 January 2015 between incumbent ] ] and ].<ref name="izborijl">{{cite news|url=http://www.jutarnji.hr/ceka-se-potvrda-iz-vlade-predsjednicki-izbori-odrzat-ce-se-28--prosinca/1237590/|title=ODLUČENO JE Predsjednički izbori održat će se 28. prosinca|date=19 November 2014|work=]|language=Croatian|accessdate=19 November 2014}}</ref>
'''Presidential elections''' were held in ] on 28 December 2014. Since no candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off will take place on 11 January 2015 between incumbent ] ] and ].<ref name="izborijl">{{cite news|url=http://www.jutarnji.hr/ceka-se-potvrda-iz-vlade-predsjednicki-izbori-odrzat-ce-se-28--prosinca/1237590/|title=ODLUČENO JE Predsjednički izbori održat će se 28. prosinca|date=19 November 2014|work=]|language=Croatian|accessdate=19 November 2014}}</ref>
==Background and rules==
In mid-October 2014 the SDP-led government proposed adopting a new electoral law by February 2015. SDP's parliamentary speaker Josip Leko stated that the party's position in consultation with the ] was that the electoral law should not be changed within a year prior to an election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://hr.n1info.com/a5427/Vijesti/Izmjene-izbornog-zakona-do-veljace.html|title=Izmjene izbornog zakona do veljače?|date=21 October 2014|work=N1|language=Croatian|accessdate=3 January 2015}}</ref> However, the new ''Law on the Election of the President of the Republic of Croatia'' was subsequently voted in by the SDP-led parliamentary majority on 24 October.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jutarnji.hr/sdp-izmijenio-zakon-o-izboru-predsjednika-rh--ljutiti-hdz-ovci-napustili-sabor/1230571/|title=SDP izmijenio Zakon o izboru predsjednika, ljutiti HDZ-ovci napustili Sabor|date=24 October 2014|work=]|language=Croatian|accessdate=3 January 2015}}</ref> One of the more significant changes to the law involved limiting voting abroad to consular offices. This had the effect of greatly reducing the number of polling stations in neighbouring ]: from 124 in the 2009-10 presidential elections to 15 in the current election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dnevnik.ba/novosti/bih/hns-tra%C5%BEi-vi%C5%A1e-bira%C4%8Dkih-mjesta-u-bih-za-hrvatske-predsjedni%C4%8Dke-izbore |title=HNS traži više biračkih mjesta u BiH za hrvatske predsjedničke izbore|date=28 November 2014|work=Dnevnik.ba|language=Croatian|accessdate=3 January 2015}}</ref> The ], a grouping of Croat parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, protested at the reduction.
Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 28 December 2014. Since no candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off will take place on 11 January 2015 between incumbent PresidentIvo Josipović and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.
Background and rules
In mid-October 2014 the SDP-led government proposed adopting a new electoral law by February 2015. SDP's parliamentary speaker Josip Leko stated that the party's position in consultation with the Venice Commission was that the electoral law should not be changed within a year prior to an election. However, the new Law on the Election of the President of the Republic of Croatia was subsequently voted in by the SDP-led parliamentary majority on 24 October. One of the more significant changes to the law involved limiting voting abroad to consular offices. This had the effect of greatly reducing the number of polling stations in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina: from 124 in the 2009-10 presidential elections to 15 in the current election. The Croatian People's Assembly, a grouping of Croat parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, protested at the reduction.
Candidates
As of 22 November 2014, the following candidates have announced their bids:
Milan Kujundžić, member of the right-wing populist Croatian Dawn (HZ) non-parliamentary party, candidate of the Alliance for Croatia coalition of parties. Candidacy officially confirmed on 18 October 2014.
Ivan Vilibor Sinčić, student, political activist of Živi zid.
Withdrawn candidate bids
Anto Đapić withdrew on 5 December, endorsing Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.
Ivan Grubišić withdrew on 6 December, endorsing Ivan Rude.
Ivan Rude, lawyer who handled pre-bankruptcy settlements at several large companies and candidate of the non-parliamentary Voice of Reason party, running on left-wing populist and worker's rights platform. Withdrew on 6 December after failing to collect 10,000 signatures required to formally submit his bid.
First round candidates
Candidates seeking nomination first had to submit a minimum of 10,000 citizens' signatures to the State Electoral Commission (Državno izborno povjerenstvo or DIP) in order for their candidacy to be formally accepted. The signatures had to be collected in a period of twelve days, from 25 November to 6 December. The deadline for submissions was midnight, 6 December, with most candidates submitting a much larger number of signatures as a show of support. Following the submissions, DIP will have two days to check the validity of signatures, and is expected to announce a final list of candidates by midnight on 8 December. On 9 December the campaign will officially start, and will last for 18 days until 26 December, celebrated in Croatia as St. Stephen's Day.
Incumbent, stands for re-election after completing his first term. Although formally independent, Josipović was nominated by the ruling Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP), and is supported by 16 other left wing, centre-left, green and liberal parties. Running on a centre-left platform focusing on judiciary and fight against corruption, as well as proposed reforms to the constitution which would grant the president more executive powers.
Candidate of the biggest opposition party, the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and supported by 7 other centre-right parties. Former foreign minister in the Cabinet of Ivo Sanader I (2003–08), Grabar-Kitarović is running on a centre-right platform.
Founder and president of the right-wing populist Croatian Dawn (HZ) non-parliamentary party, formed in July 2013 as a splinter party of HDZ, following Kujundžić's defeat in internal party elections. Also supported by 6 other right-wing and nationalist parties. Running on a right-wing populist platform.
Nominated by an activist organization called Živi Zid (Human Blockade) which fights forced home evictions by organising human shields, and which was registered as a political party in July 2011. Running on an eurosceptic, anti-NATO populist platform.
Ivan Bavčević submitted 7,600 signatures to the electoral commission on December 6 and was rejected.
Ratko Dobrović submitted no signatures to the electoral commission claiming that they are "blank signatures".
Slobodan Midžić not submitted signatures on the prescribed form. Instead he offered a CD on which, as he claims, is about 500 thousand signatures. He is form Velika Kladuša (BiH). Midžić had also failed to nominate himself for 2009 presidential election.
Ivica Dukić submitted only 800 signatures because "in Split and Zagreb is raining and people are suspicious"
Ivan Valek, architect and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Iva Anzulović, reporter. She said that "she is apolitical and always a reporter"
Tomislav Opačak, businessman from Slavonski Brod. Arrested before the elections. He said that "he will be a great president, just like Josip Broz Tito and Franjo Tuđman who were in prison too."
Campaign
Incumbent president Ivo Josipović addressed his supporters on the night of the first round. During his speech he stated "Too much blood has been spilled for Croatia and too many defenders died that we would give Croatia up to those who don't deserve it" in reference to the opposition challenger Grabar-Kitarović. The Croatian Democratic Union criticized the president's rhetoric as "dirty and aggressive" and stressed that while Josipović "speaks of blood", their candidate offers "peace, unity and optimism".
After the first round, third place candidate Ivan Sinčić was asked which of the two candidates he would support in the second round to which he replied that he could not support either due to moral reasons. Sinčić's Živi zid told his supporters to spoil their ballots in the second round by entering Sinčić's name on the ballot.
Results
Results of the first round in all of Croatia's counties: the candidate with the plurality of votes in each administrative division. Josipović Grabar-Kitarović
Incumbent president Ivo Josipović and opposition candidate Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović received the greatest number of votes in the first round. The result was notable for being much closer than expected in pre-election polls, with respective vote shares of 38.46% and 37.22%. Political analyst Žarko Puhovski criticized the polls for having an inadequate sample and being overly reliant on telephone polling.
Elections and referendums in Croatia