The Croatian government has officially scheduled the country’s eighth presidential election since independence for Sunday, 29 December. The decision takes effect on 28 November, opening the window for candidates to collect the required signatures to secure a place on the ballot, reports N1. 

Signature Collection Begins

Candidates vying for the presidency must collect 10,000 signatures from eligible Croatian voters aged 18 or older. The process starts at midnight on 29 November and lasts 12 days. Both party-backed and independent candidates must adhere to the same rules, and voters may only support one candidate.

Signatures must be gathered on official forms provided by the State Electoral Commission (DIP) and submitted before the deadline. The DIP will then have 48 hours to verify the signatures and announce the final list of candidates.

Election Timeline and Media Rules

The official campaign period will run from 13 December until midnight on 28 December. After this point, a 24-hour media blackout will begin, prohibiting all forms of electioneering and the publication of polls or projections. 

If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a runoff election between the top two candidates will take place on 12 January.

“We chose 29 December for the first round to avoid the second round coinciding with the holiday season,” Prime Minister Andrej Plenković explained, addressing why the government opted against an earlier date.

The Candidates

The presidential race currently has 12 declared candidates, including incumbent President Zoran Milanović, who is seeking re-election. Other prominent contenders include independent candidate Dragan Primorac, supported by the ruling HDZ party; Miro Bulj of the Most party; and Ivana Kekin, the Mozemo party’s nominee.

The field also features lawyer and historian Tomislav Jonjić, entrepreneur Niko Tokić-Kartelo, and former journalist Anton Filić. Among the female candidates are Branka Lozo of the newly founded DOMiNO party and independent Aurora Weiss.

Croatians to Vote Worldwide

Croatian citizens will have the opportunity to vote in over 50 countries worldwide, up from 47 in the previous election. The election will determine the successor for the five-year term currently held by Milanović, which concludes on 18 February 2025.

With the campaign period approaching, Croatia gears up for what promises to be a competitive presidential race.