ZAGREB, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Croatia's State Election Commission confirmed on Thursday that 11 out of 12 presidential candidates had met the requirements to run in the election later this month.
The required number of at least 10,000 signatures of Croatian citizens is a prerequisite for each candidate.
The candidates include incumbent president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, singer Miroslav Skoro, former judge and current member of the European Parliament Mislav Kolakusic, film director Dario Jurican, Katarina Peovic of Workers' Front party, START party leader Dalija Oreskovic, and Croatian parliament member Ivan Pernar etc.
Independent candidate Slobodan Midzic failed to submit enough signatures.
Recent polls gave most chances to Grabar-Kitarovic, Milanovic and Skoro.
The official campaign for the presidential election began on Thursday and will last until Dec. 20. The first round of election will take place on Dec. 22, and if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of votes, the second round with two candidates with most votes will be held on Jan. 5, 2020.
The eleven candidates who met the criteria are also the highest number so far in the presidential elections in Croatia. In the last election five years ago, there were four candidates.
