Election victory
January 11, 2010
Croatia's state-run Electoral Commission said Josipovic received 60.3 percent of the vote in Sunday's vote. His rival, Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, who was running as an independent candidate and was backed by conservatives and nationalists, got 39.7 percent.
A second round became necessary when no candidate emerged as clear winner in the elections held at the end of last month. Under Croatia's constitution, the winner must gain more that 50 percent of votes cast. In the December 27 poll, Josipovic took around 33 percent of the vote, more than than twice as much as Bandic received.
Although the post is largely ceremonial, one of the main tasks ahead of the new president will be helping to steer Croatia successfully into the European Union. The 52-year-old law professor has pledged to support the government's efforts to complete European Union membership talks this year. Josipovic had run an anti-corruption campaign, one of the key requirements from the European Union.
"I want an uncompromising fight against corruption and organized crime. That is what I promised, that is what we'll achieve," Josipovic told supporters late on Sunday.
"I strongly believe that we all want a better Croatia with more justice, that we want a country where work is paid for and crime is punished," he said.
Croatia is seeking to become the bloc's 28th member by 2012, but accession talks are by no means complete yet.
The new president is to succeed veteran reformer Stjepan Mesic, who has served the maximum two five-year terms.
nrt/td/ap/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Chuck Penfold