The involvement of Croatia’s sharp-tongued president in the country’s parliamentary election on Wednesday may not be constitutional. But it is certainly livening up what had threatened to be a predictable affair.

The country’s parliamentary polls tend to follow a pattern. A centre-left coalition led by the Social Democrats (SDP) runs against the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), whose support runs from centre-right to right-wing nationalist.

Most of the time, the HDZ wins. It consistently reaps the rewards of a large membership base and strong organisation – though opposition parties claim that patronage and corruption are just as influential.

But this election looks like it might be different. And that is all down to the presence of Zoran Milanovic.

He has consistently been rated as the country’s most popular politician since he became president four years ago, even though as head of state he has little actual power in running the country.

So, announcing that he would be the SDP’s candidate for prime minister – the most senior political position in Croatia – meant that all bets were off.

“The elections were already decided before that move,” says Kresimir Macan, a political analyst and consultant.

“It was obvious that the ruling party, the HDZ, would be in a position to make a new governing coalition quite easily. But then Milanovic started a crusade against corruption and everything he says [the current] Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, stands for.”

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