January 10, 2010 Social Democratic Party candidate Ivo Josipovic won presidential elections in Croatia.

Josipovic polled 60.3% of the votes, Associated Press reports referring to Croatian state-run Electoral Commission. First-round runner-up and former Mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandic, who was announced an independent candidate, got 39.7%.

The voting turnout made 99.6%. Meanwhile according to the observers, the results of the elections’ second round were predictable, however the difference between the results was surprising, as under the public opinion poll, Josipovic was meant to win by a smaller margin.

Ivo Josipovic is a 52-year-old composer and an international law professor. He has an untarnished reputation, however critics reckon that he lacks charisma.

Josipovic will assume the office on February 2010, replacing Stjepan Mesic.

L.A.