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Most viewed in Foreign affairs
Croatians vote 'Yes' to EU membershipLarge majority in favour of joining EU but turnout is low. |
Croatians vote on joining the EUCroatians too must vote in favour in a referendum before the country's parliament ratifies accession. |
The run-off in Croatia's presidential election on Sunday will be between two nominally centre-left candidates, after the candidate of the ruling centre-right HDZ, Andrija Hebrang, came third in the first round on 27 December. Hebrang polled just 12%.
The official candidate of the opposition Social Democrats (SDP), Ivo Josipovic, came first, with 32.5%, while the mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic, received 15% of the votes. Bandic, whose presidential bid led to his expulsion from the SDP, has actively courted Croatia's social conservatives, and will hold more appeal for HDZ voters than Josipovic, who nevertheless remains the frontrunner. The HDZ has not given its official support to either candidate. Observers saw Sanader's attempted comeback as a way to throw his weight behind Bandic. The incumbent, Stjepan Mesic, is a popular critic of the HDZ, but cannot stand for a third consecutive term in office.
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