Croatia will hold its presidential elections on December 27, the country’s government decided on Friday, the Croatian HRT television channel announced.

The country’s President is elected by a majority of the voters who cast their vote. If none of the candidates wins a majority, the election will be held once again in 14 days. In this case the second round would take place on 10 January 2010.

The two candidates who collected most votes in the first round run in the second one. If one of them withdraws, the next candidate who won the highest number of votes in the first round gets the right to run in the runoff.

The presidential election takes places at least 30 days and 60 days at the most before the end of the term in office of the incumbent President.