Plenković, for his part, sought to portray the vote as a plebiscite on Croatia’s future in the EU.
“Milanović is a cancer of Croatian politics,” he said earlier this month, repeating that the president sought to draw Croatia toward Moscow.
But Ivan Grdešić, a professor of political science at Libertas International University in Zagreb, said geopolitics alone could not make up for Primorac’s liabilities — among them that he is “not charismatic enough” to “have a larger appeal to people.”
“I think he is just a little bit too sophisticated in some of his debates,” said Grdešić, who has served as Croatia’s ambassador to the U.K. and to the U.S.
Primorac was also burdened by yet another scandal, this one involving Health Minister Vili Beroš, who was arrested and fired after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a corruption investigation in November.
“I hear many doubts from patients who are concerned by the fact that he is a candidate from the same political party as the fired minister,” said Jasna Karacic Zanetti, an ombudsman for patient rights in Croatia.
Milanović’s office declined POLITICO’s request for an interview, while Primorac did not reply.
Sunday’s presidential election was Croatia’s third vote this year, following a snap parliamentary election in April and the European Parliament election in June.
Ketrin Jochecová, Sebastian Starcevic and Hanne Cokelaere contributed to this report.
