<p>Incumbent president Zoran Milanovic won the most votes in the first round of Croatia's presidential election on Sunday but fell just short of a majority and will have to go to a second round, results from the State Electoral Commission (DIP) showed.</p><p>Milanovic, the opposition Social Democrats' candidate, won 49.1% support after ballots from all polling stations had been counted. His main challenger Dragan Primorac - the candidate of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) - won 19.35% support.</p><p>The two men will face each other in the second round of voting on Jan. 12.</p><p>Independent candidate Marija Selak Raspudic came third with 9.25% support.</p><p>The post of president is mostly ceremonial. The president cannot veto laws, but has a say in foreign policy, defence and security matters.</p>.Student killed in knife attack at Croatia school.<p>Milanovic, who is known for his harsh criticism of the government, sent a reconciliatory message, saying he will offer a hand to the government at a time of uncertainty.</p><p>"I will fight for a Croatia with attitude ... a Croatia which cares about its interests," he told supporters. "I am convinced that we are unstoppable in heading towards the victory."</p><p>During his five-year term that expires on Feb. 18, Milanovic, a former prime minister, has clashed with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic over foreign and public policy and has fiercely criticised the European Union and NATO over their support for Ukraine.</p><p>Around 3.8 million Croats were eligible to vote, choosing from eight candidates across the political spectrum. The turnout was 46%, the DIP said.</p><p>Primorac said he sees the second round as a chance to attract votes that have been dispersed to other right-wing conservative candidates in the first round.</p><p>"My programme offers everything that Croatia needs - unity, a better life, a care for the youth ... a care for pensioners," he said.</p><p>Despite his populist rhetoric, Milanovic is seen by many as the only counterbalance to the HDZ-dominated government, which has seen 30 ministers forced to leave in recent years amid allegations of corrupt practices.</p>
<p>Incumbent president Zoran Milanovic won the most votes in the first round of Croatia's presidential election on Sunday but fell just short of a majority and will have to go to a second round, results from the State Electoral Commission (DIP) showed.</p><p>Milanovic, the opposition Social Democrats' candidate, won 49.1% support after ballots from all polling stations had been counted. His main challenger Dragan Primorac - the candidate of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) - won 19.35% support.</p><p>The two men will face each other in the second round of voting on Jan. 12.</p><p>Independent candidate Marija Selak Raspudic came third with 9.25% support.</p><p>The post of president is mostly ceremonial. The president cannot veto laws, but has a say in foreign policy, defence and security matters.</p>.Student killed in knife attack at Croatia school.<p>Milanovic, who is known for his harsh criticism of the government, sent a reconciliatory message, saying he will offer a hand to the government at a time of uncertainty.</p><p>"I will fight for a Croatia with attitude ... a Croatia which cares about its interests," he told supporters. "I am convinced that we are unstoppable in heading towards the victory."</p><p>During his five-year term that expires on Feb. 18, Milanovic, a former prime minister, has clashed with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic over foreign and public policy and has fiercely criticised the European Union and NATO over their support for Ukraine.</p><p>Around 3.8 million Croats were eligible to vote, choosing from eight candidates across the political spectrum. The turnout was 46%, the DIP said.</p><p>Primorac said he sees the second round as a chance to attract votes that have been dispersed to other right-wing conservative candidates in the first round.</p><p>"My programme offers everything that Croatia needs - unity, a better life, a care for the youth ... a care for pensioners," he said.</p><p>Despite his populist rhetoric, Milanovic is seen by many as the only counterbalance to the HDZ-dominated government, which has seen 30 ministers forced to leave in recent years amid allegations of corrupt practices.</p>