Croatia: President Mesic wins second term in office

Winning two-thirds of the vote over his conservative challenger,
Stipe Mesic has secured a second five-year term in the presidential
office in Croatia.

The incumbent Stipe Mesic has won a convincing victory over
his challenger, Jadranka Kosor, in Croatia’s presidential
run-off vote held on 16 January. The independent Mesic
took 66 per cent of the vote leaving 34 per cent
for conservative Kosor of the Croatian Democratic
Union. Voter turnout was just above 50 per cent.

The people of Croatia appear to have rewarded the 70 year-old
Mesic, who first took office in 2000, with a second
five-year term for leading them out of international isolation
following the nationalistic rule of Franjo Tudjman. 

Mesic is now likely to lead his country into the
European Union. Membership negotiations are due to begin
with Croatia in March 2005 provided that it continues to co-operate
with the international war crimes tribunal. 

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