On 3 January 2010, contrary to his earlier statements (1 July 2009), Sanader announced he would be returning to a more active role in politics, stating that his decision to withdraw was a mistake, and that the HDZ is a "winning party and not a party that wins 12% of the vote", a remark made in connection with the first round of the presidential election held one week before.
U suprotnosti sa svojim ranijim izjavama (1. srpnja 2009.), Sanader je najavio da će se vratiti na aktivniju ulogu u politici, navodeći da je njegova odluka o povlačenju bila pogreška, te da je HDZ "pobjednička stranka, a ne stranka koja osvoji 12% glasova", koju je izjavio nakon prvog tjedna predsjedničkih izbora.