He has also taken Plenković to task for his pro-European stance, calling him a “fire-spewing badger” who is remote-controlled by Brussels and European Commission President “Ursula von der Leyen’s errand boy.” He has cast immigration as Croatia’s top challenge, accusing the ruling party of mismanaging it.
Plenković, for his part, has sought to portray the vote as one about Croatia’s future in the EU.
“Milanović is a cancer of Croatian politics,” said Plenković at the beginning of December, urging voters to vote for Primorac.
“The difference between him and Milanović is quite simple. Milanović is leading us East, Primorac is leading us West,” he said.
The two men are deeply divided on support for Ukraine. Plenković supports military aid to Kyiv. Milanović, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has spoken out against it and criticized Western sanctions on Russia. In October, he blocked the participation of Croatian soldiers in NATO’s mission to support Ukraine.
Should Primorac face Milanović in the second round, most observers expect him to stumble.