A candidate who pledged to lead Croatia away from its authoritarian past easily won Monday’s presidential runoff to succeed the late Franjo Tudjman.
Stipe Mesic, a former member of Yugoslavia’s collective presidency, defeated former Communist dissident Drazen Budisa in voting. Tudjman led the country to independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and ruled until his death Dec. 10.
With more than 99 percent of the ballots counted, the election commission said Mesic won 56 percent. Budisa had about 44 percent, according to commission leader Marian Ramuscak.
Budisa acknowledged defeat shortly after polls closed.
U.S. Ambassador William Montgomery went to Mesic’s headquarters late Monday to congratulate him on his victory.
