Democratic Centre
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Centre is a Croatia
n political party
.
The Party was formed in 2000 by Mate Granić
and Vesna Škare-Ožbolt
after they left the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) following the party's defeat in the January 2000 election
and Mate Granić's defeat in the February 2000 presidential race
. Upon their foundation DC described themselves as a "moderate version of HDZ".
Following HDZ's return to power in the 2003 general election
, DC (which had been informally allied with HDZ during the election) gained a single seat in Croatian Parliament and a single ministerial post in the Croatian Government. Vesna Škare-Ožbolt, the party's leader and their only representative elected to parliament, was appointed Justice Minister
in the Cabinet of Ivo Sanader I. She held the post from December 2003 to February 2006, when she was forced to step down by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader
following allegations that she leaked information to the press and opposed certain government policies, although some media pundits ascribed her resignation to her prominent public stance and ministerial results which overshadowed HDZ ministers. Since then, DC is as an opposition party.
Since 15 October 2002, the Democratic Centre is an observer member of the European People's Party
(EPP).
In the most recent 2007 general elections
DC ran in coalition with the Green Party
but failed to win any seats in the 153-seat parliament. Vesna Škare-Ožbolt also ran for President in the 2009–10 election as a formally independent candidate but only managed to win 37,373 or 1.89% of votes in the first round, finishing 11th out of 12 candidates.
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 ...
n political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
.
The Party was formed in 2000 by Mate Granić
Mate Granic
Mate Granić is a Croatian diplomat and politician who was part of the Croatian Government in much of the 1990s.Granić was born in Baška Voda in Dalmatia...
and Vesna Škare-Ožbolt
Vesna Škare-Ožbolt
Vesna Škare-Ožbolt is a Croatian politician.Before the first democratic elections in 1990, Škare-Ožbolt used to work in Croatian judiciary...
after they left the centre-right 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...
(HDZ) following the party's defeat in the January 2000 election
Croatian parliamentary election, 2000
Elections for the Chamber of Representatives of the Croatian Parliament were held on January 3, 2000. These were the first elections to be held after the expiration of a full term of the previous Chamber....
and Mate Granić's defeat in the February 2000 presidential race
Croatian presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 24 January 2000. As no candidate passed the 50% threshold, a secound round was held on 7 February, the first time a second round had been required in the country's history. The result was a victory for Stjepan Mesić of the Croatian People's Party, who...
. Upon their foundation DC described themselves as a "moderate version of HDZ".
Following HDZ's return to power in the 2003 general election
Croatian parliamentary election, 2003
-External links:*...
, DC (which had been informally allied with HDZ during the election) gained a single seat in Croatian Parliament and a single ministerial post in the Croatian Government. Vesna Škare-Ožbolt, the party's leader and their only representative elected to parliament, was appointed Justice Minister
Ministry of Justice (Croatia)
The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Croatia is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is in charge of prosecuting government cases and the administration of institutions falling within the scope of the judiciary system ....
in the Cabinet of Ivo Sanader I. She held the post from December 2003 to February 2006, when she was forced to step down by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader
Ivo Sanader
Ivo Sanader |Split]]) is a Croatian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Croatia from 2003 to 2009.Sanader obtained his education in comparative literature in Austria, where he also later worked in the 1980s. He worked as a journalist, in marketing, publishing and also as a private...
following allegations that she leaked information to the press and opposed certain government policies, although some media pundits ascribed her resignation to her prominent public stance and ministerial results which overshadowed HDZ ministers. Since then, DC is as an opposition party.
Since 15 October 2002, the Democratic Centre is an observer member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
(EPP).
In the most recent 2007 general elections
Croatian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections to the Croatian Parliament were held on 25 November 2007 in Croatia and on 24 November and 25 November 2007 abroad. The campaign officially started on 3 November...
DC ran in coalition with the Green Party
Green Party – Green Alternative
Green Party – Green Alternative is centrist, regional, green and minor non-parliamentary party in Croatia. It was registered in Pula in 2003 as "Democratic Green Union – The Greens" . It is one of seven green parties in Croatia...
but failed to win any seats in the 153-seat parliament. Vesna Škare-Ožbolt also ran for President in the 2009–10 election as a formally independent candidate but only managed to win 37,373 or 1.89% of votes in the first round, finishing 11th out of 12 candidates.