Sanader Goes For Gold

Stipe Mesić (Stipe Mesic) just stated that Sanader's government had decided to call presidential elections for January 2nd 2005.

That date is the first and the only practical opportunity for two-round elections to be held on Sundays during constitutional time window. This means that Sanader apparently decided to win or at least increase vote of his candidate Jadranka Kosor. With Sunday elections it is less likely that Croatian business community would rally around Mesić in order to have only one working day lost. It is also more likely for Croatian expatriates – loyal HDZ electorate, more nationalist and right wing that population in Croatia proper – would cast their votes either for Kosor or for small army of far right candidates and thus deny Mesić of first round win.

However, January 2nd isn't without certain risks. If the elections to goes to second round on January 16th there is possibility of results being contested and the whole process of repeating elections could drag past constitutional time window.