Croatian Chamber of Counties election, 1993
Encyclopedia
Chamber of Counties election were held for the first time in Croatia
on 7 August 1993. The result was a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union
, which won 37 of the 63 elected seats. Voter turnout was 64.3%.
Each county elected three members, while the President had the right to appoint five members, known as "Virils". The electoral law made each county a district that was to elect three representatives on the basis of proportional representation
.
In practice, the use of proportional representation in such small districts led to a single party – the Croatian Democratic Union
– being grossly overrepresented because sometimes even with less than third of the votes guaranteed two of the three seats.
The elections were marked by an uncharacteristically intense campaign directed towards single region – Istria
. Government of Franjo Tuđman has invested great effort to defeat the Istrian Democratic Assembly
, concerned about party's good result during 1992 elections. This effort backfired, resulting in record vote for the IDS.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
on 7 August 1993. The result was a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
, which won 37 of the 63 elected seats. Voter turnout was 64.3%.
Background
Under the new constitution adopted in 1990, the Croatian Parliament was bicameral. The lower house had been elected in 1992 and its representatives had passed laws creating new territorial organisations of Croatia. This included counties that were to be represented by the upper house – the Chamber of Counties.Each county elected three members, while the President had the right to appoint five members, known as "Virils". The electoral law made each county a district that was to elect three representatives on the basis of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
.
In practice, the use of proportional representation in such small districts led to a single party – the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
– being grossly overrepresented because sometimes even with less than third of the votes guaranteed two of the three seats.
The elections were marked by an uncharacteristically intense campaign directed towards single region – Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
. Government of Franjo Tuđman has invested great effort to defeat the Istrian Democratic Assembly
Istrian Democratic Assembly
The Istrian Democratic Assembly is a Croatian regional and social liberal political party in Istria. The hyphenated abbreviation IDS-DDI is most commonly used....
, concerned about party's good result during 1992 elections. This effort backfired, resulting in record vote for the IDS.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatian Democratic Union Croatian Democratic Union The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003... |
1,013,365 | 45.5 | 37 |
| Croatian Social Liberal Party Croatian Social Liberal Party Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was... |
486,210 | 21.8 | 16 |
| Croatian Peasant Party Croatian Peasant Party The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of... |
258,953 | 11.6 | 5 |
| Istrian Democratic Assembly Istrian Democratic Assembly The Istrian Democratic Assembly is a Croatian regional and social liberal political party in Istria. The hyphenated abbreviation IDS-DDI is most commonly used.... |
76,273 | 3.4 | 3 |
| HSLS Croatian Social Liberal Party Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was... -HNS |
45,657 | 2.0 | – |
| Party of Democratic Changes Social Democratic Party of Croatia Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia... |
41,955 | 1.9 | 1 |
| HSLS Croatian Social Liberal Party Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was... -HNS-SDP Social Democratic Party of Croatia Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia... |
35,937 | 1.6 | – |
| HSLS Croatian Social Liberal Party Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was... -HNS-HKDU Croatian Christian Democratic Union Croatian Christian Democratic Union is a right wing political party in Croatia.It was founded in 1992 after the merger of Croatian Democratic Party and Croatian Christian Democratic Party .... -SDP Social Democratic Party of Croatia Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia... |
33,246 | 1.5 | – |
| Croatian Christian Democratic Union Croatian Christian Democratic Union Croatian Christian Democratic Union is a right wing political party in Croatia.It was founded in 1992 after the merger of Croatian Democratic Party and Croatian Christian Democratic Party .... |
27,584 | 1.2 | 0 |
| Dalmatian Action | 26,303 | 1.2 | 0 |
| RDS-IDS Istrian Democratic Assembly The Istrian Democratic Assembly is a Croatian regional and social liberal political party in Istria. The hyphenated abbreviation IDS-DDI is most commonly used.... |
22,801 | 1.0 | – |
| HSLS Croatian Social Liberal Party Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was... -SDP Social Democratic Party of Croatia Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia... |
21,478 | 1.0 | – |
| SDP Social Democratic Party of Croatia Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia... -HSS Croatian Peasant Party The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of... |
18,312 | 0.8 | – |
| Social Democratic Union | 17,413 | 0.8 | 0 |
| Croatian People's Party | 15,363 | 0.7 | 1 |
| Other parties | 64,351 | 2.9 | 0 |
| Independents | 22,562 | 1.01 | 0 |
| Appointed members | |||
| 5 | |||
| Invalid/blank votes | 76,019 | – | – |
| Total | 2,303,782 | 64.3 | 68 |
| Registered Voters | 3,580,396 | ||
| Sources: Nohlen & Stöver, Official results | |||