Milanovic won 49.1 percent of the first round vote and Primorac, backed by the ruling conservative HDZ party, took 19.35 percent, according to results released by the state electoral commission from nearly all of the polling stations.
But he used the office to attack political opponents and EU officials, often with offensive and populist rhetoric.
Milanovic, who condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine, has nonetheless criticised the West's military aid to Kyiv.
Edit: link replaced as initial seems to be gone now.
I'm not too thrilled about Milanović staying as he tried to quit so he can run for prime minister, which is pretty disrespectful of the presidential office. That said, there is no way I will vote for HDZ and Primorac.