Slaven Letica
Encyclopedia
Slaven Letica is a Croatia
n author
, economist, commentator and politician
.
Native of Podgora, Letica graduated from the University of Zagreb
Faculty of Economics.
In the 1980s, Letica was a professor of sociology of medicine at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine.
In late 1980s, as the Communist grip on public discourse weakened, Letica began to use new freedoms to advocate various reforms. In doing so, he wrote many articles and columns and he began to appear in television talk shows and town hall meetings. There he began to show a great talent for self-promotion, quickly becoming one of the most popular and the most recognisable intellectuals in Yugoslavia. Often, the ideas he floated at that time were nothing more than publicity stunts, including campaigning for President of Yugoslavia.
In 1990 after the first democratic elections, Franjo Tuđman took him seriously and made him his chief political advisor. During negotiations which Tuđman pursued with the leader of the Serbs in Croatia, Jovan Rašković
, Letica secretly recorded tapes of some of the conversations. Subsequently, he leaked these tapes to the Croatian media, hoping that some of Rašković's remarks would give offense to his fellow Croatian Serbs and turn them away from Rašković's secessionist policies. The effort spectacularly backfired and contributed to the escalation of conflict into war. That and other gaffes finally prompted Tuđman to sack Letica in early 1991. As he left, Letica publicly stated that he would have served as a political advisor to Slobodan Milošević
if compensated.
In the following years Letica continued to appear in the Croatian media as a commentator, and became a regular columnist for Globus
, a popular news magazine. During his time at Globus he gained some notoriety due to an unsigned opinion piece (which he eventually admitted to have written) in which he attacked five Croatian feminists (Slavenka Drakulić
, Vesna Kesić, Jelena Lovrić, Dubravka Ugrešić
and Rada Iveković
), accusing them of betraying Croatia.
In the Croatian presidential election, 2000
, Letica ran as an independent candidate. Although he finished fourth, the relatively high percentage of votes he won (4.14%) made him desirable to the Croatian Party of Rights
(HSP), a right-wing party in desperate need to tone down its negative far-right image. Letica, with his reputation of a refined urbanite and European intellectual, served this purpose very well and on the Croatian parliamentary election, 2003
, as a candidate on HSP's list, won a seat in the Sabor
(Parliament of Croatia).
Using his striking resemblance to Josip Jelačić
, a Croatian 19th century national icon, he began to dress up in historical costumes to stage highly publicised political demonstrations. Those efforts, however, backfired and the Croatian public gradually ceased to take Letica seriously.
He also associated at one point with the Croatian True Revival, a one-time political project of Miroslav Tuđman
and Nenad Ivanković that failed to gain major traction in Croatian politics.
The HSP nevertheless used Letica again as their candidate in the Croatian presidential election, 2005
. When Letica won fewer votes than in 2000, 2.59%, he accused the HSP of not supporting him enough. He quit the party midway through his term and remained in the Sabor until the end of 2007 as an independent.
In the Croatian parliamentary election, 2007
, his independent list for the Zagreb region failed to gain the five percent of the vote needed to enter the Parliament.
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 author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, economist, commentator and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Native of Podgora, Letica graduated from the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
Faculty of Economics.
In the 1980s, Letica was a professor of sociology of medicine at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine.
In late 1980s, as the Communist grip on public discourse weakened, Letica began to use new freedoms to advocate various reforms. In doing so, he wrote many articles and columns and he began to appear in television talk shows and town hall meetings. There he began to show a great talent for self-promotion, quickly becoming one of the most popular and the most recognisable intellectuals in Yugoslavia. Often, the ideas he floated at that time were nothing more than publicity stunts, including campaigning for President of Yugoslavia.
In 1990 after the first democratic elections, Franjo Tuđman took him seriously and made him his chief political advisor. During negotiations which Tuđman pursued with the leader of the Serbs in Croatia, Jovan Rašković
Jovan Raškovic
Jovan Rašković was an ethnic Serbian psychiatrist and politician from Croatia....
, Letica secretly recorded tapes of some of the conversations. Subsequently, he leaked these tapes to the Croatian media, hoping that some of Rašković's remarks would give offense to his fellow Croatian Serbs and turn them away from Rašković's secessionist policies. The effort spectacularly backfired and contributed to the escalation of conflict into war. That and other gaffes finally prompted Tuđman to sack Letica in early 1991. As he left, Letica publicly stated that he would have served as a political advisor to Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
if compensated.
In the following years Letica continued to appear in the Croatian media as a commentator, and became a regular columnist for Globus
Globus (weekly)
Globus is a Croatian weekly news magazine published in Zagreb.The magazine was started in 1990, having some of its first issues published during the Croatian War of Independence. Originally devised as tabloid, it never took an openly chauvinist approach of Slobodni tjednik and always tried to give...
, a popular news magazine. During his time at Globus he gained some notoriety due to an unsigned opinion piece (which he eventually admitted to have written) in which he attacked five Croatian feminists (Slavenka Drakulić
Slavenka Drakulic
Slavenka Drakulić is a noted Croatian writer and publicist who currently lives in Sweden.Slavenka Drakulić was born in Rijeka, PR Croatia, on July 4, 1949. She graduated in comparative literature and sociology from the University in Zagreb in 1976...
, Vesna Kesić, Jelena Lovrić, Dubravka Ugrešić
Dubravka Ugrešic
Dubravka Ugrešić is a Croatian writer who lives in the Netherlands.- Background and education:Ugrešić was born in 1949 in Kutina, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia., She studied Comparative Literature and Russian Language and Literature at the University of Zagreb, pursuing parallel careers as a...
and Rada Iveković
Rada Ivekovic
Rada Iveković, born in 1945 in Zagreb, Croatia is a professor, philosopher, Indologist, and writer.- Research :Among Ivekovic’s numerous research interests, the most prominent are comparative philosophy , feminist theory and feminist philosophy as well as political philosophy.In particular, the...
), accusing them of betraying Croatia.
In the Croatian presidential election, 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...
, Letica ran as an independent candidate. Although he finished fourth, the relatively high percentage of votes he won (4.14%) made him desirable to 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), a right-wing party in desperate need to tone down its negative far-right image. Letica, with his reputation of a refined urbanite and European intellectual, served this purpose very well and on the Croatian parliamentary election, 2003
Croatian parliamentary election, 2003
-External links:*...
, as a candidate on HSP's list, won a seat in the Sabor
Parliament of Croatia
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...
(Parliament of Croatia).
Using his striking resemblance to Josip Jelačić
Josip Jelacic
Count Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
, a Croatian 19th century national icon, he began to dress up in historical costumes to stage highly publicised political demonstrations. Those efforts, however, backfired and the Croatian public gradually ceased to take Letica seriously.
He also associated at one point with the Croatian True Revival, a one-time political project of Miroslav Tuđman
Miroslav Tuđman
Miroslav Tuđman is a Croatian scientist and politician, the son of first president Franjo Tuđman.Tuđman was born in Belgrade where he completed grade school, before he moved with his family to Zagreb in 1961.He was born on his parents 1st anniversary...
and Nenad Ivanković that failed to gain major traction in Croatian politics.
The HSP nevertheless used Letica again as their candidate in the Croatian presidential election, 2005
Croatian presidential election, 2005
The fourth presidential elections in Croatia took place in two rounds in January 2005.-Background:The State Elections Committee published a list of candidates on 15 December 2004. President Stjepan Mesić stood for re-election, and the governing HDZ nominated cabinet minister Jadranka Kosor...
. When Letica won fewer votes than in 2000, 2.59%, he accused the HSP of not supporting him enough. He quit the party midway through his term and remained in the Sabor until the end of 2007 as an independent.
In the Croatian parliamentary election, 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...
, his independent list for the Zagreb region failed to gain the five percent of the vote needed to enter the Parliament.