Zagreb - The centrist politician, Mr Stipe Mesic, has a clear edge over his rival, the Social Liberal leader, Mr Drazen Budisa, in the race to win Croatia's presidential election, a survey showed yesterday. The survey, published in the weekly Globus magazine, showed Mr Mesic (65), candidate of the tiny Croatian People's Party (HNS), ahead with 45.4 per cent support and Mr Budisa with 31.7 per cent. The two will face each other in a runoff ballot on Monday to elect a successor to Franjo Tudjman, who died in December. Mr Mesic, the last president of former Yugoslavia before it broke apart, won the first round on January 24th but fell short of the absolute majority needed.