Croatia will hold a presidential election on Dec. 27 to find a successor for veteran reformer Stjepan Mesic, who is nearing the end of his second term, according to Reuters. The new head of state, whose role is largely ceremonial, will oversee the final stages of Croatia"s European Union membership talks, which Zagreb hopes to complete next year and join the bloc in 2012. The president also has a say in foreign and security policy and can demand the government to hold cabinet session on specific issues, such as the economic situation in the country. Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor"s government formally called the election on Friday, state news agency Hina reported after a cabinet session. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of votes, the two candidates polling the most votes will face a second round on Jan. 10. So far, 10 people have announced their candidacy, including those from the two biggest parties, the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union and the biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats. Opinion polls have given a sizeable advantage to the Social Democrats" candidate, law professor Ivo Josipovic.
