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Political Parties
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Background The political arena in Croatia was dominated by the
nationalist HDZ from independence until January 2000. As the domination
of the HDZ stemmed partly from its ability to manipulate the media and
engage in other dubious activities, opposition parties joined forces
in an attempt to serve as an effective counterweight. The SDP and the
HSLS formed the largest election coalition and were supported by a relatively
smaller opposition consisting of the Croatian Peoples’ Party (HNS),
the Croatian Peasants’ Party (HSS), the Istrian Democratic Diet
(IDS), and the Liberal Party (LS). In the January 2000 election, the
SDS/HSLS coalition, supported by two regional parties (the Primorian
Goranian Union and the Slavonian Baranian Croatian Party), won 45 percent
of the vote.
Major Political Parties Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
was founded by Franjo Tudjman
in 1989 originally as a platform-movement-like party but was soon transformed
into a nationalist movement. It won the 1992 general elections and received
44.8 percent of the popular vote in October 1995, when approximately
two thirds of 3.6 million eligible Croats voted. It was again able to
consolidate its dominant position in 1997. The party consists primarily
of former communist nomenklatura, ardent Catholics, convinced nationalists
such as Gojko Susak (former minister of Defence), Ustasha veterans seeking
political shelter and market reform liberals. Tudjman’s death
in December 1999 left the HDZ in disarray. Power struggles erupted between
the moderate faction and the right wing hardliners, and several prominent
members left the party. Social Democratic Party (SDP)
is a party with its roots in the values of modern European social democracy.
The SDP is closely tied to labor unions, workers, and social movements.
It is comprised of an unusually large number of high-ranking women and
young people within the party as well as the membership of a significant
number of Serbian (one parliamentary delegate) and other nationalities.
The SDP’s presidential candidate in the 1997 elections, Dr. Zdravko
Tomac, finished second with roughly 21 percent of the vote. Croatian Peasant Party (HSS)
was founded in 1904 under Stjepan
Radic and Vlatko
Macek and represented roughly 80 to 90 percent of the Croatian electorate
during the period between World War I and World War II. The HSS is best
described as a moderate conservative party as it advocates traditional
values, the role of family life in society, and social and economic
stability as prime objectives. Furthermore, the party opposes centralization
and state interference in society, is fervently anti-Communist, and
maintains a large following in suburban areas.
Overview Parliamentary: * Alliance of the Croatian Littoral and Highland Region
(PGS) Non-Parliamentary: * Adriatic Social Democratic Party of Croatia (Jadranski
socijaldemokrati) |