ZAGREB, JAN 10 (AFP/APP/DNA):Croatia votes in a presidential runoff on Sunday, with the opposition-backed incumbent Zoran Milanovic expected to win a second term, in a fresh blow to the scandal-hit ruling party.
The outspoken Milanovic won more than 49 percent of the vote in the first round of the election in late December, narrowly missing an outright victory in the contest by less than one percent.
His main rival, Dragan Primorac, garnered less than 20 percent of the ballots cast, making it unlikely that he can make up ground in the runoff.
Primorac is backed by the ruling conservative HDZ party of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, which was hit last year by corruption claims and survived a no-confidence vote in parliament.
A landslide win by Milanovic would be seen as further humiliation for the beleaguered HDZ and Plenkovic, whom he has frequently criticised for being too close to Brussels and for wanting too much power.
Despite its largely ceremonial role, many believe the Croatian presidency is key to keeping the political balance in the country.
The vote comes as the European Union member nation of 3.8 million people struggles with the highest inflation rate in the eurozone, endemic corruption and a labour shortage.
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