After the polling stations have closed at 7 pm in the Croatian presidential runoff, the first results, published at 8 pm, showed that former centre-left Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic was in the lead with 54.01 percent of votes, while the incumbent conservative president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic won 45.99 percent.

In the days running up to the Sunday’s vote, the polls predicted a tight race between the two candidates who came out on top in the first round held on December 22. 

Milanovic, endorsed by the largest opposition party, the centre-left Socialist Democrats (SDP), and a coalition of smaller left parties, won the most votes in the first round, 29.5 percent, while Grabar-Kitarovic, supported by the ruling centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, won 26.7 percent of votes. 

Final results are expected sometime before 10 pm. 

President’s role is largely ceremonial in Croatia, with the head of state in charge of the military and representing the country abroad. The next five-year term will begin in February.