The deputy leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) and head of the SDP branch in Split-Dalmatia County, Ranko Ostojic, announced on Wednesday evening that he had withdrawn his candidacy for the SDP leadership election, scheduled for 14 September.

Writing on Facebook, Ostojic said he had decided to pull out of the race after an injustice had been corrected and SDP Mayor of Makarska Zoran Paunovic was allowed to run.

Ostojic said he remained a candidate for the SDP presidency.

Paunovic was initially disqualified from the race because he had not been a member of the party for at least five years. He was the only candidate to have gathered over 500 signatures from the membership supporting his bid.

Five candidates are running for party leadership: Siniša Hajdas-Dončić, Mladen Keser, Sanja Major, Mirando Mrsic and Zoran Paunovic. The election will be held based on the “one member, one vote” principle.