Croatia's President Stipe Mesic wins 2nd term

Croatia's President Stipe Mesic, who is credited for moving this ex-Yugoslav country closer to the West, overwhelmingly won a second term Sunday. Mesic won 66 per cent of the votes, the state-run Electoral Commission said after nearly all votes were counted. His rival, Jadranka Kosor, who was supported by the prime minister's party, garnered only 34 per cent support, the commission said. The 70-year-old incumbent thanked his voters and said they recognized in him "a stubborn fighter" for Croatia's pro-western course and better living standards. "Croatia has passed a long way in building its democracy and the world and Europe recognized that. That why we're now before the doors of the European Union," Mesic said to enthusiastic cheers from his supporters. The results give Mesic a mandate until late 2009, when the country of 4.5 million people hopes to join the 25-member EU, and could indicate a trend ahead of local elections in spring. Mesic's victory also was a blow to Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, which returned to power a year ago. The party only recently distanced itself from its nationalist roots to become a pro-European conservative group.