MOSCOW, December 28 (Sputnik) – Croatians head to some 6,350 polling stations to elect a new president in a nation gripped by the economic crisis, AFP reports.
Josipovic of the Croatia’s Social Democrats (SDP) enjoys a large lead of 10 percent over his conservative rival, DPA reports, citing latest opinion polls.
None of the candidates is expected to receive more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round of the election. The run off is scheduled to be held on January 11, according to AFP.
The newest member of the European Union has struggled with recession, now in its sixth year. Croatia’s GDP in 2013 fell by 0.9 percent. Unemployment in the country is on the rise. It increased from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 17.7 percent in 2013, according to the World Bank.
Grabar-Kitarovic, Croatia’s former foreign minister, who also served as Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy at NATO, believes Josipovic is responsible for the economic situation. "[ Josipovic] shares the blame with the government for a bad (economic) situation in the country since he remained silent and did nothing," she said, as quoted by AFP.
The upcoming poll is viewed as a test before the parliamentary elections next year.
"At stake is whether a growing conservative trend will be stopped or whether it will continue to strengthen," Zarko Puhovski told Bloomberg. "A victory for a conservative candidate would probably spell a loss for Social Democrats and ruling coalition parties at the parliamentary elections," said the philosophy professor at the University of Zagreb.
The president’s role in Croatia is largely ceremonial. However, the country’s leader oversees foreign policy and is the commander in chief of the armed forces.
The election commission is expected to release the election results around midnight, according to Bloomberg.
