SDP president Milanović announced he would not run for another term, and the race for his successor has already begun.
On Monday, SDP president Zoran Milanović announced he would not run for another term as SDP president. The question now is who will replace him, reports Večernji List on September 13, 2016.
Former Interior Minister Ranko Ostojić has already announced his candidacy. He announced his bid in a post on Facebook and wrote that Milanović “was and still is a great politician and statesman. He has demonstrated that once again. The time for new battles has arrived. We have to preserve SDP, and demonstrate that our party is and will remain the real social-democratic party which advocates the values of the left”, wrote Ostojić. He immediately received the support of one member of SDP presidency. “He has my support”, wrote Peđa Grbin.
MEP Tonino Picula said he would make a decision on the possible candidacy for SDP president after testing whether he has support among members. “I am currently in a period in which I will consult with party members and after these consultations I will make a decision about the way in which I will participate in the upcoming elections”, said Picula. “I will not run away from responsibility and, if these consultations with people convince me that I have sufficient support, then I will absolutely accept the challenge and run for party president. We have to see when the party bodies – Presidency and the Main Committee – will be convened and when the elections will take place”, said Picula. “On Sunday, we had elections in which voters decided not to give another chance to SDP to form a government. After that, it is up to party members to speak up. Everything depends on them”, said Picula.
“I will not comment on Zoran Milanović. My activities in the party will be primarily focused on dealing with the political situation in SDP, with the legacy of an era which ended with a serious electoral defeat and I want to restore the party’s ability to win elections”, said Picula. He added on Facebook that he was “ready to assume the most responsible position within SDP”.
Aleksandra Kolarić, a former party member, has also expressed her readiness to run for SDP president. She was ejected from party membership during Milanović’s term and has since become one of his harshest critics. For her to run, she would first have to be accepted back as a member of the party.
