Croatia’s opposition-backed President Zoran Milanović, a critic of the European Union and NATO, overwhelmingly won reelection for another five-year term on Sunday, defeating a candidate from the ruling conservative party in a runoff vote.

The Philippines on Monday called on Beijing to desist from "escalatory actions" at a South China Sea shoal and said a protest has been lodged over the presence of Chinese coast guard, militia and navy in its exclusive economic zone.

Pre-election polling suggest the left-leaning incumbent president Zoran Milanovic, who is an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine, will win. #EuropeNews

The polls suggest Croatia’s left-leaning president Zoran Milanović, who is an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine, will win. #EuropeNews

Croatia's President Zoran Milanović has secured a second term in office with a clear lead in a run-off vote, according to exit polls. A poll by the state broadcaster HRT suggests Milanović, a Social Democrat,

Croatians go to the polls in a presidential runoff between incumbent Zoran Milanovic and challenger Dragan Primorac. Milanovic leads with 49.1% in the first round, and polls predict a win with 67.4%.

Voters in Croatia have re-elected Zoran Milanovic to a second term, after he won almost three-quarters of votes cast in the country's presidential election. It was a dismal result for his opponent Dragan Primorac, who had the backing of the governing centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party.

ZAGREB (Reuters) -Croatians were voting on Sunday in a presidential runoff election, with opinion polls giving incumbent Zoran Milanovic a lead over Dragan Primorac, the ruling party's challenger for the largely ceremonial position.