Parliament of Croatia
Encyclopedia
The Parliament of Croatia or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body
of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia
and legislature
of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution
, represents the people
and is vested with the legislative power. The Sabor is composed of between 153 members elected directly
to a four year term on the basis of direct universal and equal suffrage
by secret ballot
, for a term of 4 years. Seats are allocated according to the Croatian Parliament electoral districts
—140 members of the parliament are elected in multi-seat constituencies, 8 from the minorities and 5 from Croatian diaspora
. The Sabor is presided by a Speaker, who is assisted by at least one deputy speaker (usually four or five deputies). As of November 2011, the office is held by Luka Bebić
and the 6th assembly of the Parliament of Croatia comprises members from 12 political parties, most of them affiliated with the Croatian Democratic Union
(65) and Social Democratic Party of Croatia
(53) and 9 independent members of the parliament.
Powers of the Sabor are defined by the Constitution of Croatia
. They comprise defining economic, legal and political relations in Croatia, preservation and use of heritage and entering into alliances. The Sabor has right to deploy Croatian armed forces
abroad, and it may restrict some constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters. The Sabor reserves the right to amend borders of Croatia or the Constitution, it enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts documents pertaining to policies of the parliament, adopts national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operation of the Government
and other civil services responsible
to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.
Sabor, in its various forms, represented identity and position of Croats
since national councils
of nobility of the 9th century to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb
on 19 April 1273. Parliament on Cetin
held in 1527 is considered a decisive event of fundamental importance for extending and confirming of Croatian statehood. Since then, the Sabor became a regular diet of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilises by 1558 as the Parliament of Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it is regularly styled as Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler supporting what later became Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
. Since mid-1800s, the Sabor regularly meets and its members are elected regularly. Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary
and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
which later joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The Sabor did not meet between 1918 and 1945, reconvening for the first time as an assembly of ZAVNOH in 1945 and evolving since through various structures. Following the first multi-party elections
since the Communist rule and adoption of the 1990 constitution, the Sabor was bicameral until 2001, when constitutional amendments changed it to unicameral form retained to this day.
of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia
and it acts as the legislature
of the country. Its convenes regularly twice per year, from 15 January to 15 July and from 15 September and 15 December, but extraordinary sessions may be called by the President of Croatia
, the Government of Croatia
or majority of the members of the parliament. The sessions are open to the public. The parliament decides through absolute majority
votes, except in issues pertaining to national minorities in Croatia
, the constitution, electoral legislation, scope and method of operation of the governmental bodies, and the local government, when decisions are made by two-thirds majority votes. The parliament may authorise the government to enact regulations dealing with matters normally covered by parliamentary acts. Such regulations expire one year after the authorisation is issued to the government. The authorisation does not apply to matters otherwise decided upon by a two-thirds vote in the parliament. Legislation enacted by the parliament is endorsed by the President of Croatia within eight days or referred to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia. The Constitution of Croatia
mandates that the parliament consists of at least 100 members and no more than 160 members, elected directly
by a secret ballot
. The members of the parliament are elected to a four year term, and they elect the Speaker of the Parliament and one or more deputy speakers. Parliamentary elections are held within 60 days following expiry of the term or dissolution of the parliament, and new parliament convenes within 20 days after the elections. The members are granted parliamentary immunity
, and their criminal prosecution is possible only after consent of the parliament, except in cases of crimes for which five years of imprisonment is mandated. The parliament may appoint investigative commissions for any matter of public interest.
Powers of the Croatian Parliament are defined by the Constitution of Croatia. Those include defining economic, legal and political relations in the Republic of Croatia, preservation of natural and cultural heritage of Croatia and its utilisation, forming alliances with other states. The parliament has right to deploy Croatian armed forces
abroad. It may also restrict constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters, although that constitutional provision is limited to specific rights. In those circumstances, the term of the members of the parliament may be extended. The parliament reserves the right to amend borders of Croatia. The parliament decides on amendments of the constitution, enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts documents pertaining to policies of the parliament, adopts national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operation of the government and other civil services responsible to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.
The Government of Croatia
is responsible
to the parliament, but other institutions, such as the Croatian National Bank
and the State Audit Office also report to the parliament directly. The parliament appoints an ombudsman
to promote and protect human rights and liberties established by the constitution, national legislation and international legal documents adopted by Croatia. The ombudsman is appointed for an eight year term and work of the ombudsman is independent. The ombudsman, as well as any other persons authorised to act on behalf of the parliament, are granted parliamentary immunity equal to that enjoyed by the members of the parliament.
is the Speaker of the Parliament.
The speaker of the parliament assumes role of an acting President of the Republic in case of death, resignation or incapacitation of the President of the Croatia, as defined by the constitution. This situation occurred after the death of Franjo Tuđman in 1999, when Vlatko Pavletić
became the acting president. After the parliamentary elections of 2000
, the role was transferred to Zlatko Tomčić
, who filled the office until Stjepan Mesić
was elected President of Croatia in 2000
.
, up to 6 members chosen by proportional representation
to represent Croatian citizens residing abroad and 5 members represent ethnic and national communities or minorities. The two largest political parties in Croatia are the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
(SDP). The last parliamentary elections were held on 25 November 2007 in Croatia and on 24 November and 25 November 2007 abroad. Since the members of the parliament may change political affiliation during their term, numbers of seats won in elections and actual balance of power in the parliament is known to change between the elections, although the changes are rarely numerous. Croatian Social Democrats
(HDS) and Croatian Labourists – Labour Party (CL) became parliamentary parties through such changes of party affiliation. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 4 December 2011.
As of November 2011, the 6th assembly of the Parliament of Croatia consisted of 153 members of the parliament, 65 taken by the HDZ, 53 by the SDP, 6 by the Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS), 5 by the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), 4 by the Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB), 3 by the Istrian Democratic Assembly
(IDS), 3 by the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), 1 each by the Croatian Party of Pensioners
(HSU), the Croatian Party of Rights
(HSP), the HDS, the CL and the Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
(SDAH) and the remaining 9 seats by independent members of the parliament.
(HDZ) won 205 seats and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
won 107. Five parliamentary elections were held since for the Chamber of Deputies of the parliament or the unicameral parliament since—in 1992, 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2007. Starting with the 1992 elections, number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and later in the unicameral parliament was significantly changed—ranging between 127 in 1995 to 153 in 2007. In Croatian parliamentary elections held since 1992 when number of seats in the parliament was limited to below 160, only 5 parties won 10 seats or more at any one of the parliamentary election. Those were HDZ, Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS), Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), Croatian Social Liberal Party
(HSLS) and SDP.
Several political parties, besides the HDZ, HSS, HNS, HSLS and the SDP, won parliamentary seats since the 1990 election. Those are (in alphabetical order): Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar (previously named Rijeka Democratic Alliance), Croatian Christian Democratic Union
, Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja, Croatian Democratic Peasant Party, Croatian Independent Democrats
, Croatian Party of Pensioners
, Croatian Party of Rights
, Dalmatian Action, Democratic Centre, Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia
, German People's Union – National Association of Danube Swabians in Croatia, Independent Democratic Serb Party, Istrian Democratic Assembly
, Liberal Party
, Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
, Party of Liberal Democrats, Serb Democratic Party
, Serb People's Party
, Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party
, and Social Democratic Action of Croatia
. Since the parliament seats won belong to individuals rather than parties, there were instances where individuals would become independent
or switch to another political party.
adopted in 1990, Croatian Parliament became bicameral. The Chamber of Deputies had been elected few months earlier and its members enacted legislation creating new territorial organisation of Croatia
. This included counties
that were to be represented by the new Chamber of Counties . The first election
of members of the chamber was held on 7 February 1993, with each of the counties acting as a multi-seat constituency, three MPs being elected in each of the counties on the basis of proportional representation
. In addition, the President of Croatia
appointed up to five more members of the Chamber of the Counties to complete its 68-strong membership. The second, and the last election
for the Chamber of Counties of the parliament were held on 13 April 1997. The Chamber of Deputies was abolished through a constitutional amendment in 2001.
Sabor, in its various forms, represented identity and position of Croats
since national councils
of nobility of the 9th century to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb
on 19 April 1273 as Congregatio Regni tocius Sclavonie generalis (General diet of the entire kingdom of Slavonia). Its decisions had power of legislation acts. Parliament on Cetin
held in 1527 is considered a decisive event of fundamental importance for extending and confirming of Croatian statehood, as described by the Constitution of Croatia. The parliament freely chose Ferdinand I
of the House of Habsburg as new ruler of Croatia, after centuries of personal union with Hungary
. Following the Parliament on Cetin, Sabor became a regular diet of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilises by 1558 as the Parliament of Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it is regularly styled as Congregatio Regnorum Croatie, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae (Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia). In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler supporting what later became Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
, and electing Maria Theresa of Austria
as monarch
. This event is also specified by the Constitution of Croatia as a part of foundation of unbroken Croatian statehood since the Middle Ages
to the present.
Events of 1848
in Europe and in in the Austrian Empire
represent a watershed in Croatian society and politics, as it symbolizes the Croatian national revival that strongly influenced and significantly shaped political and social events in Croatia from that point onwards to the end of the 20th century. At the time, Sabor advocated implicit severance of ties with the Kingdom of Hungary
, emphasizing links to other South Slavic
lands within the empire. A period of neo-absolutism was followed by Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and Croatian–Hungarian Settlement recognizing limited independence of Croatia compounded by reinvigorated claims of uninterrupted Croatian statehood. Two political parties that evolved in the 1860s and contributed significantly to the sentiment were the Party of Rights
and the People's Party
. They were opposed by the National Constitutional Party who were in power for most of the period between the 1860s and the 1918, advocating closer ties between Croatia and Hungary. Other significant parties formed in the era were the Serb People's Independent Party
, who would later form the Croat-Serb Coalition
with the Party of Rights and other Croat and Serb parties. The Coalition ruled Croatia between 1903 and 1918. Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS), established in 1904 and led by Stjepan Radić
, advocated Croatian autonomy but achieved only moderate gains by 1918. In Dalmatia
, two major parties were the People's Party
, a branch of the People's Party active in Croatia-Slavonia and the Autonomist Party
, advocating maintaining autonomy of Dalmatia, opposite to the People's Party demands for unification of Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia. The Autonomist Party was also linked to Italian irredentism. By 1900s, the Party of Rights also made considerable gains in Dalmatia. The Autonomists won the first three elections, while all others since 1870 were won by the People's Party. In 1861–1918 there were 17 elections in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
and 10 in the Kingdom of Dalmatia
.
Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary
and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
. Council of the newly established state voted to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, however Sabor never confirmed that decision. The 1921 constitution
defining the new kingdom as a unitary state
and abolition of historical administrative divisions effectively ended Croatian autonomy and Sabor did not convene until the 1940s. Cvetković–Maček Agreement of August 1939 established autonomous Banovina of Croatia
, where the Yugoslav government retained control of defence, internal security, foreign affairs, trade, and transport while other matters were left to the Croatian Sabor and a crown-appointed Ban. Before any elections were held, the establishment was made obsolete with beginning of the World War II
, establishment of the Independent State of Croatia
which banned all political opposition. In 1942, three sessions of an unelected Sabor assembly were held in the Independent State of Croatia. The sessions were held between 23 February and 28 December 1942, when it was formally dissolved. The assembly had no real power as the state was under direct rule of Ante Pavelić
.
The post-World War II Sabor developed from the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia formed in 1943. After the war, the Communists ran unopposed in elections of 1945. Once in power, the Communists introduced a single-party political system, with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia as the ruling party and the Communist Party of Croatia as its branch. In January 1990, the Communist Party fragmented along national lines, with the Croatian faction
demanding a looser federation. During the Communist rule, Sabor went from an unicameral parliament as defined by the 1947 constitutions, to bicameral in 1953, changing again in 1963 to as many as five chambers, and then to three in 1974. Constitutional amendments of 1971 established Presidency of Sabor, and one of its functions became representing Croatia abroad.
The first political party founded in Croatia since beginning of the Communist rule was the Croatian Social Liberal Party
(HSLS), established on 20 May 1989, followed by the Croatian Democratic Union
on 17 June 1989. In December, Ivica Račan
became the head of the reformed Communist party. At the same time, the Communist party decided to cancel political trials, release political prisoners and to endorse a multi-party political system. The Civil Organisations Act was formally amended to allow political parties on 11 January 1990, legalising the new parties. By the time of the first round of the first multi-party elections
, held on 22 April 1990, there were 33 registered parties. Still, the most relevant parties and coalitions were the renamed Communist party—League of Communists of Croatia - Party of Democratic Changes, the HDZ and the Coalition of People's Accord
(KNS), which included the HSLS led by Dražen Budiša
and the HSS, which resumed operating in Croatia in December 1989. The runoff election was held on 6 May 1990. Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) led by Franjo Tuđman won ahead of the reformed Communists and the KNS. The KNS, led by once leaders of the Croatian Spring
, Savka Dabčević-Kučar and Miko Tripalo
, soon splintered to individual parties. The HDZ maintained a parliamentary majority until parliamentary elections of 2000
when it was defeated by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
(SDP) led by Račan. On 8 October 1991, Croatia's declaration of independence took effect. The HDZ returned to power in elections of 2003
, while the SDP remains the largest opposition party. Constitution of 1990 defined Sabor as a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Counties. In 2001, the Constitution was amended and the Chamber of Counties abolished, rendering Sabor once again unicameral.
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia
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 ...
and legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution
Constitution of Croatia
The current Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia on December 22, 1990. It replaced the Constitution of 1974 ratified in socialist Yugoslavia...
, represents the people
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
and is vested with the legislative power. The Sabor is composed of between 153 members elected directly
Elections in Croatia
Constitution of Croatia and legislation enacted by the Parliament of Croatia provide for regular elections in Croatia for the office of the President of Croatia, the parliament, county prefects and assemblies, city and municipal mayors as well as city and municipal councils...
to a four year term on the basis of direct universal and equal suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
by secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
, for a term of 4 years. Seats are allocated according to the Croatian Parliament electoral districts
Croatian Parliament electoral districts
The Croatian Parliament electoral districts have been in place since the Law on Electoral Districts of 1999.Croatia has 12 electoral districts. Ten of these are geographical districts within Croatia, each providing 14 members of parliament. District XI is for Croatian citizens living abroad, with a...
—140 members of the parliament are elected in multi-seat constituencies, 8 from the minorities and 5 from Croatian diaspora
Croatian diaspora
Croatian diaspora refers to the Croatian communities that have formed outside Croatia.Estimates on its size are only approximate because of incomplete statistical records and naturalization, but estimates suggest that the Croatian diaspora numbers between a third and a half of the total number of...
. The Sabor is presided by a Speaker, who is assisted by at least one deputy speaker (usually four or five deputies). As of November 2011, the office is held by Luka Bebić
Luka Bebic
Luka Bebić was the speaker of the Croatian Parliament from January 11, 2008 to October 28, 2011. He is a member of the Croatian Democratic Union and has been a representative in the Croatian Parliament since the nation's independence in 1991, being elected into office six consecutive times.He...
and the 6th assembly of the Parliament of Croatia comprises members from 12 political parties, most of them affiliated with 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...
(65) and Social Democratic Party of Croatia
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...
(53) and 9 independent members of the parliament.
Powers of the Sabor are defined by the Constitution of Croatia
Constitution of Croatia
The current Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia on December 22, 1990. It replaced the Constitution of 1974 ratified in socialist Yugoslavia...
. They comprise defining economic, legal and political relations in Croatia, preservation and use of heritage and entering into alliances. The Sabor has right to deploy Croatian armed forces
Military of Croatia
Croatian military is officially called Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and it consists of three branches:* Croatian Army * Croatian Navy...
abroad, and it may restrict some constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters. The Sabor reserves the right to amend borders of Croatia or the Constitution, it enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts documents pertaining to policies of the parliament, adopts national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operation of the Government
Government of Croatia
The Government of the Republic of Croatia , commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government , is the main element of the executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government , commonly abbreviated to premier...
and other civil services responsible
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.
Sabor, in its various forms, represented identity and position of Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
since national councils
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
of nobility of the 9th century to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
on 19 April 1273. Parliament on Cetin
Parliament on Cetin
The Parliament on Cetin was a gathering of the Croatian nobility in the town of Cetin caused by a monarchical crisis after the death of their king Louis II and a major defeat of the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohács...
held in 1527 is considered a decisive event of fundamental importance for extending and confirming of Croatian statehood. Since then, the Sabor became a regular diet of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilises by 1558 as the Parliament of Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it is regularly styled as Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler supporting what later became Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was an edict issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI to ensure that the throne of the Archduchy of Austria could be inherited by a daughter....
. Since mid-1800s, the Sabor regularly meets and its members are elected regularly. Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was a short-lived state formed from the southernmost parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy after its dissolution at the end of the World War I by the resident population of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs...
which later joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The Sabor did not meet between 1918 and 1945, reconvening for the first time as an assembly of ZAVNOH in 1945 and evolving since through various structures. Following the first multi-party elections
Croatian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats...
since the Communist rule and adoption of the 1990 constitution, the Sabor was bicameral until 2001, when constitutional amendments changed it to unicameral form retained to this day.
Powers of the Parliament
The Parliament of Croatia is a representative bodyRepresentative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia
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 ...
and it acts as the legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the country. Its convenes regularly twice per year, from 15 January to 15 July and from 15 September and 15 December, but extraordinary sessions may be called by the President of Croatia
President of Croatia
The President of Croatia , officially styled the President of the Republic represents the Republic of Croatia in the country and abroad as the head of state, maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system, and safeguards the independence and...
, the Government of Croatia
Government of Croatia
The Government of the Republic of Croatia , commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government , is the main element of the executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government , commonly abbreviated to premier...
or majority of the members of the parliament. The sessions are open to the public. The parliament decides through absolute majority
Supermajority
A supermajority or a qualified majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level or type of support which exceeds a simple majority . In some jurisdictions, for example, parliamentary procedure requires that any action that may alter the rights of the minority has a supermajority...
votes, except in issues pertaining to national minorities in Croatia
Demographics of Croatia
The demographic features of the population of Croatia include statistical data collected through censuses, normally conducted in ten-year intervals and analysed by various statistical bureaus since the 1850s. The Croatian Bureau of Statistics performs this task since the 1990s. The latest census in...
, the constitution, electoral legislation, scope and method of operation of the governmental bodies, and the local government, when decisions are made by two-thirds majority votes. The parliament may authorise the government to enact regulations dealing with matters normally covered by parliamentary acts. Such regulations expire one year after the authorisation is issued to the government. The authorisation does not apply to matters otherwise decided upon by a two-thirds vote in the parliament. Legislation enacted by the parliament is endorsed by the President of Croatia within eight days or referred to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia. The Constitution of Croatia
Constitution of Croatia
The current Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia on December 22, 1990. It replaced the Constitution of 1974 ratified in socialist Yugoslavia...
mandates that the parliament consists of at least 100 members and no more than 160 members, elected directly
Elections in Croatia
Constitution of Croatia and legislation enacted by the Parliament of Croatia provide for regular elections in Croatia for the office of the President of Croatia, the parliament, county prefects and assemblies, city and municipal mayors as well as city and municipal councils...
by a secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
. The members of the parliament are elected to a four year term, and they elect the Speaker of the Parliament and one or more deputy speakers. Parliamentary elections are held within 60 days following expiry of the term or dissolution of the parliament, and new parliament convenes within 20 days after the elections. The members are granted parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself...
, and their criminal prosecution is possible only after consent of the parliament, except in cases of crimes for which five years of imprisonment is mandated. The parliament may appoint investigative commissions for any matter of public interest.
Powers of the Croatian Parliament are defined by the Constitution of Croatia. Those include defining economic, legal and political relations in the Republic of Croatia, preservation of natural and cultural heritage of Croatia and its utilisation, forming alliances with other states. The parliament has right to deploy Croatian armed forces
Military of Croatia
Croatian military is officially called Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and it consists of three branches:* Croatian Army * Croatian Navy...
abroad. It may also restrict constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters, although that constitutional provision is limited to specific rights. In those circumstances, the term of the members of the parliament may be extended. The parliament reserves the right to amend borders of Croatia. The parliament decides on amendments of the constitution, enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts documents pertaining to policies of the parliament, adopts national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operation of the government and other civil services responsible to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.
The Government of Croatia
Government of Croatia
The Government of the Republic of Croatia , commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government , is the main element of the executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government , commonly abbreviated to premier...
is responsible
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
to the parliament, but other institutions, such as the Croatian National Bank
Croatian National Bank
The Croatian National Bank is the central bank of the Republic of Croatia.HNB was established by the Constitution of Croatia which was passed by the Croatian Parliament on 21 December 1990. Its main responsibilities are maintaining the stability of the national currency, the kuna, and ensuring...
and the State Audit Office also report to the parliament directly. The parliament appoints an ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
to promote and protect human rights and liberties established by the constitution, national legislation and international legal documents adopted by Croatia. The ombudsman is appointed for an eight year term and work of the ombudsman is independent. The ombudsman, as well as any other persons authorised to act on behalf of the parliament, are granted parliamentary immunity equal to that enjoyed by the members of the parliament.
Speaker of the Parliament
Since the first multi-party elections held after start of the Communist rule, there were seven speakers of the parliament, and the first five, executing the office until amendment of the constitution of March 2001, were also speakers of the Chamber of Deputies as the parliament was bicameral at the time. As of November 2011, Luka BebićLuka Bebic
Luka Bebić was the speaker of the Croatian Parliament from January 11, 2008 to October 28, 2011. He is a member of the Croatian Democratic Union and has been a representative in the Croatian Parliament since the nation's independence in 1991, being elected into office six consecutive times.He...
is the Speaker of the Parliament.
The speaker of the parliament assumes role of an acting President of the Republic in case of death, resignation or incapacitation of the President of the Croatia, as defined by the constitution. This situation occurred after the death of Franjo Tuđman in 1999, when Vlatko Pavletić
Vlatko Pavletic
Vlatko Pavletić was a Croatian politician, university professor, literature critic and essayist.Pavletić was born in Zagreb in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1955, he graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, where he majored in Croatian language and literature...
became the acting president. After the parliamentary elections of 2000
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....
, the role was transferred to Zlatko Tomčić
Zlatko Tomcic
Zlatko Tomčić is a Croatian politician, former leader of the Croatian Peasant Party and a representative in the Croatian Parliament.-Political background:...
, who filled the office until Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić is a Croatian politician and former President of Croatia. Before his ten-year presidential term between 2000 and 2010 he held the posts of Speaker of the Croatian Parliament , Prime Minister of Croatia , the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Secretary General...
was elected President of Croatia in 2000
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...
.
| Name | Since | Until | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Žarko Domljan Žarko Domljan Žarko Domljan was the first Speaker of the Croatian Parliament. He served in this position from May 30, 1990 to August 2, 1992. Domljan was later a representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.-References:... |
30 May 1990 | 7 September 1992 | HDZ 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... |
|
| Stjepan Mesić Stjepan Mesić Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić is a Croatian politician and former President of Croatia. Before his ten-year presidential term between 2000 and 2010 he held the posts of Speaker of the Croatian Parliament , Prime Minister of Croatia , the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Secretary General... |
7 September 1992 | 24 May 1994 | HDZ | |
| Nedjeljko Mihanović | 24 May 1994 | 28 November 1995 | HDZ | |
| Vlatko Pavletić Vlatko Pavletic Vlatko Pavletić was a Croatian politician, university professor, literature critic and essayist.Pavletić was born in Zagreb in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1955, he graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, where he majored in Croatian language and literature... |
28 November 1995 | 2 February 2000 | HDZ | |
| Zlatko Tomčić Zlatko Tomcic Zlatko Tomčić is a Croatian politician, former leader of the Croatian Peasant Party and a representative in the Croatian Parliament.-Political background:... |
2 February 2000 | 22 December 2003 | 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... |
|
| Vladimir Šeks Vladimir Šeks Vladimir Šeks is an influential Croatian politician, a member of the Croatian Democratic Union . He has been a representative in the Croatian Parliament since the nation's independence, and has held the posts of the Speaker of the Parliament as well as Deputy Prime Minister of the Government.Šeks... |
22 December 2003 | 11 January 2008 | HDZ | |
| Luka Bebić Luka Bebic Luka Bebić was the speaker of the Croatian Parliament from January 11, 2008 to October 28, 2011. He is a member of the Croatian Democratic Union and has been a representative in the Croatian Parliament since the nation's independence in 1991, being elected into office six consecutive times.He... |
11 January 2008 | Present | HDZ | |
| Source: Parliament of Croatia | ||||
Composition
Conforming to current electoral legislation in Croatia, 140 members of the Parliament of Croatia are elected in multi-seat constituenciesCroatian Parliament electoral districts
The Croatian Parliament electoral districts have been in place since the Law on Electoral Districts of 1999.Croatia has 12 electoral districts. Ten of these are geographical districts within Croatia, each providing 14 members of parliament. District XI is for Croatian citizens living abroad, with a...
, up to 6 members chosen by 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...
to represent Croatian citizens residing abroad and 5 members represent ethnic and national communities or minorities. The two largest political parties in Croatia are 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...
(HDZ) and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
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...
(SDP). The last parliamentary elections were held on 25 November 2007 in Croatia and on 24 November and 25 November 2007 abroad. Since the members of the parliament may change political affiliation during their term, numbers of seats won in elections and actual balance of power in the parliament is known to change between the elections, although the changes are rarely numerous. Croatian Social Democrats
Croatian Social Democrats
Croatian Social Democrats , abbreviated HSD, is a minor left-wing Croatian political party. It came into existence in 2004 as a splinter party of the much more influential Social Democratic Party of Croatia ....
(HDS) and Croatian Labourists – Labour Party (CL) became parliamentary parties through such changes of party affiliation. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 4 December 2011.
As of November 2011, the 6th assembly of the Parliament of Croatia consisted of 153 members of the parliament, 65 taken by the HDZ, 53 by the SDP, 6 by the 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...
(HSS), 5 by the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), 4 by the Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB), 3 by 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....
(IDS), 3 by the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), 1 each by the Croatian Party of Pensioners
Croatian Party of Pensioners
The Croatian Party of Pensioners is a Croatian political party. It is currently led by Silvano Hrelja.When the Party was founded, few people took it seriously and many commentators speculated that the ultimate purpose of HSU was take away pensioners' votes from rejuvenated SDP and thus help ruling...
(HSU), the Croatian Party of Rights
Croatian Party of Rights
The Croatian Party of Rights is a right-wing political party in Croatia. The "right" in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that the party has vowed to protect since its founding in the 19th century...
(HSP), the HDS, the CL and the Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
The Party of Democratic Action of Croatia is a political party that represents the Bosniak ethnic minority in Croatia...
(SDAH) and the remaining 9 seats by independent members of the parliament.
Previous parliamentary elections
Since 1990, six parliamentary elections were held in Croatia. The election held in 1990 were the first multi-party elections following 45-year Communist rule, and the candidates ran for all 80 seats in the Social-Political Council of Croatia, all 116 seats to the Municipalities Council of Croatia and all 160 seats to the Associated Labour Council of Croatia as the Parliament had three chambers at the time. The first round of the election saw turnout of 85.5%, and the runoff-election turnout was 74.8%. The Croatian Democratic UnionCroatian 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) won 205 seats and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
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...
won 107. Five parliamentary elections were held since for the Chamber of Deputies of the parliament or the unicameral parliament since—in 1992, 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2007. Starting with the 1992 elections, number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and later in the unicameral parliament was significantly changed—ranging between 127 in 1995 to 153 in 2007. In Croatian parliamentary elections held since 1992 when number of seats in the parliament was limited to below 160, only 5 parties won 10 seats or more at any one of the parliamentary election. Those were HDZ, 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...
(HSS), Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), 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...
(HSLS) and SDP.
Several political parties, besides the HDZ, HSS, HNS, HSLS and the SDP, won parliamentary seats since the 1990 election. Those are (in alphabetical order): Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar (previously named Rijeka Democratic Alliance), 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 ....
, Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja, Croatian Democratic Peasant Party, Croatian Independent Democrats
Croatian Independent Democrats
Croatian Independent Democrats was a political party in Croatia.-History:Its founders were members of moderate faction within Croatian Democratic Union...
, Croatian Party of Pensioners
Croatian Party of Pensioners
The Croatian Party of Pensioners is a Croatian political party. It is currently led by Silvano Hrelja.When the Party was founded, few people took it seriously and many commentators speculated that the ultimate purpose of HSU was take away pensioners' votes from rejuvenated SDP and thus help ruling...
, Croatian Party of Rights
Croatian Party of Rights
The Croatian Party of Rights is a right-wing political party in Croatia. The "right" in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that the party has vowed to protect since its founding in the 19th century...
, Dalmatian Action, Democratic Centre, Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia
Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia
The Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia is a political party in Croatia, representing the Hungarian minority. The party has one seat in parliament since the elections of 23 November 2003.The party has caused a scandal 2011...
, German People's Union – National Association of Danube Swabians in Croatia, Independent Democratic Serb Party, 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....
, Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Croatia)
Liberal Party was a Croatian political party active between January 1998 and April 2006. During its existence the party ran in two general elections and in each election won two seats in the 151-seat Sabor. LS was a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
, Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
The Party of Democratic Action of Croatia is a political party that represents the Bosniak ethnic minority in Croatia...
, Party of Liberal Democrats, Serb Democratic Party
Serb Democratic Party (Croatia)
The Serb Democratic Party was a political party in Croatia whose primary constituency were the Serbs of Croatia. It led the Republic of Serbian Krajina. It existed between 1990 and 1995.The SDS was founded in the Socialist Republic of Croatia on February 17, 1990...
, Serb People's Party
Serb People's Party (Croatia)
Serb People's Party is a political party that represents ethnic Serb minority in Croatia.The party was founded in early 1991 by ethnic Serb politicians opposed to the radical and secessionist policies of Republic of Serbian Krajina. As the conflict in Croatia escalated, SNS quickly found itself in...
, Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party
Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party
Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party was a regional political party in Croatia.It was founded in early 1990s in Slavonia. It was usually allied with Social Democratic Party of Croatia.From 1995 to 2003 it was represented in the Croatian Parliament....
, and Social Democratic Action of Croatia
Social Democratic Action of Croatia
Social Democratic Action of Croatia is a Croatian left-wing political party.It was founded by 1994 by members of Social Democratic Party of Croatia dissatisfied with the centrist policies of SDP leader Ivica Račan and his lack of criticism towards Franjo Tuđman.The party had high hopes of...
. Since the parliament seats won belong to individuals rather than parties, there were instances where individuals would become independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
or switch to another political party.
| Parliamentary elections overview (since 1990) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Election | Turnout | Results | Cabinet(s) Government of Croatia The Government of the Republic of Croatia , commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government , is the main element of the executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government , commonly abbreviated to premier... |
| 1990 Croatian parliamentary election, 1990 Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats... |
59.5% | 1st assembly | Cabinet of Stjepan Mesić Cabinet of Stjepan Mesić The First Government of the Republic of Croatia was the Croatian Government from May 30 to August 24, 1990. The premier was Stjepan Mesić of the Croatian Democratic Union.-List of ministers and portfolios:-External links:... , Cabinet of Josip Manolić, Cabinet of Franjo Gregurić |
| 1992 | 61.7% | 2nd assembly | Cabinet of Hrvoje Šarinić, Cabinet of Nikica Valentić |
| 1995 Croatian parliamentary election, 1995 -Subsequent changes:The following changes happened after elections:*The Croatian Pure Party of Rights gained one member of parliament*The Croatian Christian Democratic Union gained one more member of parliament*The Serb People's Party lost one member of parliament... |
70.5% | 3rd assembly | Cabinet of Zlatko Mateša Cabinet of Zlatko Mateša The Cabinet of Prime Minister Zlatko Mateša was the Croatian Government cabinet announced on 7 November 1995. It was the 6th cabinet of Croatia, and its term ended on 27 January 2000.-List of ministers and portfolios:... |
| 2000 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.... |
68.8% | 4th assembly | Cabinet of Ivica Račan I Cabinet of Ivica Račan I The first Cabinet of Prime Minister Ivica Račan was the Croatian Government cabinet announced on 27 January 2000. It was the 7th cabinet of Croatia, and its term ended on 30 July 2002, when it was reconstructed and replaced by Cabinet of Ivica Račan II... , Cabinet of Ivica Račan II Cabinet of Ivica Račan II The second Cabinet of Prime Minister Ivica Račan was the Croatian Government cabinet announced on 30 July 2002. It was the 8th cabinet of Croatia, and its term ended on 23 December 2003. Račan's second cabinet was formed after Croatian Social Liberal Party and Istrian Democratic Assembly had... |
| 2003 Croatian parliamentary election, 2003 -External links:*... |
75.6% | 5th assembly | Cabinet of Ivo Sanader I |
| 2007 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... |
84.5% | 6th assembly | Cabinet of Ivo Sanader II Cabinet of Ivo Sanader II The second Cabinet of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader was announced on 12 January 2008. It was the 10th cabinet of Croatia, and its term ended on 6 July 2009 when Jadranka Kosor formed the 11th cabinet... , Cabinet of Jadranka Kosor Cabinet of Jadranka Kosor The first Cabinet of Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor was announced on 6 July, 2009. It is the 11th cabinet of Croatia, and came into existence after Prime Minister Ivo Sanader had abruptly resigned on 1 July 2009 and named Kosor as his successor... |
| Source: State Election Commission | |||
| Seats won in parliamentary elections since 1990 by individual parties | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | 1990 Croatian parliamentary election, 1990 Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats... |
1992 | 1995 Croatian parliamentary election, 1995 -Subsequent changes:The following changes happened after elections:*The Croatian Pure Party of Rights gained one member of parliament*The Croatian Christian Democratic Union gained one more member of parliament*The Serb People's Party lost one member of parliament... |
2000 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.... |
2003 Croatian parliamentary election, 2003 -External links:*... |
2007 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... |
| Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Coalition of People's Accord Coalition of People's Accord Coalition of People's Accord was the bloc of mostly moderate nationalist and liberal parties formed on the eve of first multi-party elections in Croatia in 1990.... |
3 | |||||
| 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 .... |
1 | 1 | ||||
| Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja | 3 | |||||
| Croatian Democratic Peasant Party | 1 | |||||
| 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... |
55 | 85 | 75 | 46 | 66 | 66 |
| Croatian Independent Democrats Croatian Independent Democrats Croatian Independent Democrats was a political party in Croatia.-History:Its founders were members of moderate faction within Croatian Democratic Union... |
1 | |||||
| Croatian Party of Pensioners Croatian Party of Pensioners The Croatian Party of Pensioners is a Croatian political party. It is currently led by Silvano Hrelja.When the Party was founded, few people took it seriously and many commentators speculated that the ultimate purpose of HSU was take away pensioners' votes from rejuvenated SDP and thus help ruling... |
3 | 1 | ||||
| Croatian Party of Rights Croatian Party of Rights The Croatian Party of Rights is a right-wing political party in Croatia. The "right" in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that the party has vowed to protect since its founding in the 19th century... |
5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | |
| 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... |
3 | 10 | 17 | 10 | 6 | |
| Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 | |
| 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... |
14 | 12 | 25 | 2 | 2 | |
| Dalmatian Action | 1 | |||||
| Democratic Centre | 1 | |||||
| Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia The Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia is a political party in Croatia, representing the Hungarian minority. The party has one seat in parliament since the elections of 23 November 2003.The party has caused a scandal 2011... |
1 | |||||
| German People's Union | 1 | |||||
| Independent Democratic Serb Party | 3 | 3 | ||||
| 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.... |
4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |
| Liberal Party Liberal Party (Croatia) Liberal Party was a Croatian political party active between January 1998 and April 2006. During its existence the party ran in two general elections and in each election won two seats in the 151-seat Sabor. LS was a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party... |
2 | 2 | ||||
| Party of Democratic Action of Croatia Party of Democratic Action of Croatia The Party of Democratic Action of Croatia is a political party that represents the Bosniak ethnic minority in Croatia... |
1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Party of Liberal Democrats Libra -Science and technology:* Libra , a star constellation in the sky* Libra , an ancient Roman unit of weight* Libra , a public search engine for academic papers and literature* Libra , a media cataloguing software... |
3 | |||||
| Serb Democratic Party Serb Democratic Party (Croatia) The Serb Democratic Party was a political party in Croatia whose primary constituency were the Serbs of Croatia. It led the Republic of Serbian Krajina. It existed between 1990 and 1995.The SDS was founded in the Socialist Republic of Croatia on February 17, 1990... |
1 | |||||
| Serb People's Party Serb People's Party (Croatia) Serb People's Party is a political party that represents ethnic Serb minority in Croatia.The party was founded in early 1991 by ethnic Serb politicians opposed to the radical and secessionist policies of Republic of Serbian Krajina. As the conflict in Croatia escalated, SNS quickly found itself in... |
3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party was a regional political party in Croatia.It was founded in early 1990s in Slavonia. It was usually allied with Social Democratic Party of Croatia.From 1995 to 2003 it was represented in the Croatian Parliament.... |
1 | 1 | ||||
| Social Democratic Action of Croatia Social Democratic Action of Croatia Social Democratic Action of Croatia is a Croatian left-wing political party.It was founded by 1994 by members of Social Democratic Party of Croatia dissatisfied with the centrist policies of SDP leader Ivica Račan and his lack of criticism towards Franjo Tuđman.The party had high hopes of... |
1 | |||||
| Social Democratic Party of Croatia 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... |
20 | 6 | 10 | 43 | 34 | 56 |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Source: State Election Commission | ||||||
Chamber of the Counties
Under the new Constitution of CroatiaConstitution of Croatia
The current Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia on December 22, 1990. It replaced the Constitution of 1974 ratified in socialist Yugoslavia...
adopted in 1990, Croatian Parliament became bicameral. The Chamber of Deputies had been elected few months earlier and its members enacted legislation creating new territorial organisation of Croatia
Administrative divisions of Croatia
The subdivisions of Croatia on the first level are the 20 counties and one city-county . On the second level these are municipalities and towns . Both of these type of subdivisions consist of settlements...
. This included counties
Counties of Croatia
The primary territorial subdivisions of the Republic of Croatia called županije . In English they are commonly referred to as counties....
that were to be represented by the new Chamber of Counties . The first election
Croatian Chamber of Counties election, 1993
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%.-Background:...
of members of the chamber was held on 7 February 1993, with each of the counties acting as a multi-seat constituency, three MPs being elected in each of the counties 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 addition, the President of Croatia
President of Croatia
The President of Croatia , officially styled the President of the Republic represents the Republic of Croatia in the country and abroad as the head of state, maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system, and safeguards the independence and...
appointed up to five more members of the Chamber of the Counties to complete its 68-strong membership. The second, and the last election
Croatian Chamber of Counties election, 1997
Chamber of Counties election were held in Croatia on 13 April 1997. The result was a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 40 of the 63 elected seats. Voter turnout was 71.4%.-Results:...
for the Chamber of Counties of the parliament were held on 13 April 1997. The Chamber of Deputies was abolished through a constitutional amendment in 2001.
| Speakers of the Chamber of the Counties | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Since | Until | Party | |
| Josip Manolić Josip Manolic Josip Manolić is a Croatian politician who was one of the most important public figures in 1990s Croatia. He was prime minister of the Republic of Croatia from August 24, 1990 to July 17, 1991.-Background and political career:... |
1993 | 1994 | HDZ 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... |
|
| Katica Ivanišević | 1994 | 2001 | HDZ | |
Historical background
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
since national councils
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
of nobility of the 9th century to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
on 19 April 1273 as Congregatio Regni tocius Sclavonie generalis (General diet of the entire kingdom of Slavonia). Its decisions had power of legislation acts. Parliament on Cetin
Parliament on Cetin
The Parliament on Cetin was a gathering of the Croatian nobility in the town of Cetin caused by a monarchical crisis after the death of their king Louis II and a major defeat of the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohács...
held in 1527 is considered a decisive event of fundamental importance for extending and confirming of Croatian statehood, as described by the Constitution of Croatia. The parliament freely chose Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
of the House of Habsburg as new ruler of Croatia, after centuries of personal union with Hungary
Croatia in personal union with Hungary
Kingdom of Croatia after the succession crisis become a part of Kingdom of Hungary and — depending on sources — either was incorporated into Hungary or Croatia existed in a personal union with Hungary....
. Following the Parliament on Cetin, Sabor became a regular diet of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilises by 1558 as the Parliament of Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it is regularly styled as Congregatio Regnorum Croatie, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae (Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia). In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler supporting what later became Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was an edict issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI to ensure that the throne of the Archduchy of Austria could be inherited by a daughter....
, and electing Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
as monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
. This event is also specified by the Constitution of Croatia as a part of foundation of unbroken Croatian statehood since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
to the present.
Events of 1848
Revolutions of 1848
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary...
in Europe and in in the Austrian Empire
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
represent a watershed in Croatian society and politics, as it symbolizes the Croatian national revival that strongly influenced and significantly shaped political and social events in Croatia from that point onwards to the end of the 20th century. At the time, Sabor advocated implicit severance of ties with the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary (1538–1867)
The Kingdom of Hungary between 1538 and 1867 was part of the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy, while outside the Holy Roman Empire.After Battle of Mohács, the country was ruled by two crowned kings . They divided the kingdom in 1538...
, emphasizing links to other South Slavic
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
lands within the empire. A period of neo-absolutism was followed by Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and Croatian–Hungarian Settlement recognizing limited independence of Croatia compounded by reinvigorated claims of uninterrupted Croatian statehood. Two political parties that evolved in the 1860s and contributed significantly to the sentiment were the Party of Rights
Party of Rights (1861–1929)
The Party of Rights or Party of the Right was an influential Croatian political party in the 19th and 20th centuries. The right or rights in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that were the central topic of the party's existence, as the first name was Stranka...
and the People's Party
People's Party (Kingdom of Croatia)
People's Party was a political party in the Habsburg Kingdom of Croatia.It was founded in 1841 based on Croatian Illyrian movement. Because the movement did not distinguish Croats from other South Slavs and instead called them all Illyrians, the party was named the Illyrian people's party when it...
. They were opposed by the National Constitutional Party who were in power for most of the period between the 1860s and the 1918, advocating closer ties between Croatia and Hungary. Other significant parties formed in the era were the Serb People's Independent Party
Serb People's Independent Party
Serb People's Independent Party, sometimes just Serb Independent Party was a political party in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, under the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
, who would later form the Croat-Serb Coalition
Croat-Serb Coalition
The Croat-Serb Coalition was a major political alliance in Austria-Hungary during the beginning of the 20th century that governed the Croatian lands . It represented the political idea of a cooperation of Croats and Serbs in Austria-Hungary for mutual benefit...
with the Party of Rights and other Croat and Serb parties. The Coalition ruled Croatia between 1903 and 1918. 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...
(HSS), established in 1904 and led by Stjepan Radić
Stjepan Radic
Stjepan Radić was a Croatian politician and the founder of the Croatian Peasant Party in 1905. Radić is credited with galvanizing the peasantry of Croatia into a viable political force...
, advocated Croatian autonomy but achieved only moderate gains by 1918. In Dalmatia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
The Kingdom of Dalmatia was an administrative division of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1815 to 1918. Its capital was Zadar.-History:...
, two major parties were the People's Party
People's Party (Kingdom of Dalmatia)
People's Party was a political party in the Kingdom of Dalmatia. It was founded in 1861 after the failure of Bach's absolutism, as branch of the People's Party in Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia...
, a branch of the People's Party active in Croatia-Slavonia and the Autonomist Party
Autonomist Party
The Autonomist Party was a political party in the Dalmatian political scene, that existed for around 70 years of the nineteenth century and until World War I. Its goal was to maintain the autonomy of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as opposed to the unification with the...
, advocating maintaining autonomy of Dalmatia, opposite to the People's Party demands for unification of Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia. The Autonomist Party was also linked to Italian irredentism. By 1900s, the Party of Rights also made considerable gains in Dalmatia. The Autonomists won the first three elections, while all others since 1870 were won by the People's Party. In 1861–1918 there were 17 elections in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia or Croatia Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was part of the Hungarian Kingdom within the dual Austro-Hungarian state, being within the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen or Transleithania...
and 10 in the Kingdom of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
The Kingdom of Dalmatia was an administrative division of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1815 to 1918. Its capital was Zadar.-History:...
.
Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was a short-lived state formed from the southernmost parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy after its dissolution at the end of the World War I by the resident population of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs...
. Council of the newly established state voted to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, however Sabor never confirmed that decision. The 1921 constitution
Vidovdan Constitution
The Vidovdan Constitution was the first constitution of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It was approved by the Constitutional Assembly on June 28, 1921 despite the opposition boycotting the vote. The Constitution is named after the feast of St. Vitus , a Serbian holiday. The Constitution...
defining the new kingdom as a unitary state
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
and abolition of historical administrative divisions effectively ended Croatian autonomy and Sabor did not convene until the 1940s. Cvetković–Maček Agreement of August 1939 established autonomous Banovina of Croatia
Banovina of Croatia
The Banovina of Croatia or Banate of Croatia was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1939 and 1943 . Its capital was at Zagreb and it included most of present-day Croatia along with portions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia...
, where the Yugoslav government retained control of defence, internal security, foreign affairs, trade, and transport while other matters were left to the Croatian Sabor and a crown-appointed Ban. Before any elections were held, the establishment was made obsolete with beginning of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, establishment of the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
which banned all political opposition. In 1942, three sessions of an unelected Sabor assembly were held in the Independent State of Croatia. The sessions were held between 23 February and 28 December 1942, when it was formally dissolved. The assembly had no real power as the state was under direct rule of Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
.
The post-World War II Sabor developed from the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia formed in 1943. After the war, the Communists ran unopposed in elections of 1945. Once in power, the Communists introduced a single-party political system, with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia as the ruling party and the Communist Party of Croatia as its branch. In January 1990, the Communist Party fragmented along national lines, with the Croatian faction
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
demanding a looser federation. During the Communist rule, Sabor went from an unicameral parliament as defined by the 1947 constitutions, to bicameral in 1953, changing again in 1963 to as many as five chambers, and then to three in 1974. Constitutional amendments of 1971 established Presidency of Sabor, and one of its functions became representing Croatia abroad.
The first political party founded in Croatia since beginning of the Communist rule was the 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...
(HSLS), established on 20 May 1989, followed by 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...
on 17 June 1989. In December, Ivica Račan
Ivica Racan
Ivica Račan was a Croatian career politician, leader of the League of Communists of Croatia and later Social Democratic Party from 1989 to 2007...
became the head of the reformed Communist party. At the same time, the Communist party decided to cancel political trials, release political prisoners and to endorse a multi-party political system. The Civil Organisations Act was formally amended to allow political parties on 11 January 1990, legalising the new parties. By the time of the first round of the first multi-party elections
Croatian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats...
, held on 22 April 1990, there were 33 registered parties. Still, the most relevant parties and coalitions were the renamed Communist party—League of Communists of Croatia - Party of Democratic Changes, the HDZ and the Coalition of People's Accord
Coalition of People's Accord
Coalition of People's Accord was the bloc of mostly moderate nationalist and liberal parties formed on the eve of first multi-party elections in Croatia in 1990....
(KNS), which included the HSLS led by Dražen Budiša
Dražen Budiša
Dražen Budiša is a Croatian politician who used to be leading opposition figure in the 1990s and a two-time presidential candidate.-During Yugoslavia:...
and the HSS, which resumed operating in Croatia in December 1989. The runoff election was held on 6 May 1990. 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) led by Franjo Tuđman won ahead of the reformed Communists and the KNS. The KNS, led by once leaders of the Croatian Spring
Croatian Spring
The Croatian Spring was a political movement from the early 1970s that called for greater rights for Croatia which was then part of Yugoslavia as well as democratic and economic reforms.-History:...
, Savka Dabčević-Kučar and Miko Tripalo
Miko Tripalo
Miko Tripalo was a Croatian and Yugoslav politician.A son of well-to-do farmers' family near Sinj, he joined Tito's Partisans as a teenager...
, soon splintered to individual parties. The HDZ maintained a parliamentary majority until parliamentary elections of 2000
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....
when it was defeated by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
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...
(SDP) led by Račan. On 8 October 1991, Croatia's declaration of independence took effect. The HDZ returned to power in elections of 2003
Croatian parliamentary election, 2003
-External links:*...
, while the SDP remains the largest opposition party. Constitution of 1990 defined Sabor as a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Counties. In 2001, the Constitution was amended and the Chamber of Counties abolished, rendering Sabor once again unicameral.