Voters in Croatia cast ballots Sunday in a presidential election in which popular incumbent Stipe Mesic is seeking a second five-year term.

Pre-election opinion polls indicate the 70-year-old centrist leader has an approval rating of about 50 percent. That is some 20 points higher than his primary rival, Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor of the conservative Croatian Democratic Union. At least 10 other candidates are also running.

If no candidate wins an overall majority, a run-off election will be held on January 16.

Mr. Mesic enjoys the backing of the main opposition parties, which credit him with spearheading Croatia's democratic reforms following its independence from socialist Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Both Mr. Mesic and Ms. Kosor support Croatia's bid to join the European Union. Accession talks are due to begin in March, and Croatia hopes to join the powerful trading bloc in 2007.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.