ZAGREB: The Croatian government on Thursday called a presidential election for December 22, a vote seen as a key test for conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic ahead of parliamentary polls next year.

Incumbent President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, backed by Plenkovic’s ruling HDZ party, has announced she would run for a second term in the Balkan nation.

The 51-year-old former top diplomat, who became the EU member’s first female head of state in 2015, is currently leading opinion polls.

Her main rival is former Social Democrat prime minister Zoran Milanovic, followed by popular folk singer Miroslav Skoro who is running as an independent and backed by right-wingers.

(Agencies)