| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Hrvatski Sabor / Croatian Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
13 April 1997 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the elective seats of the House of Zupanije on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
General elections for the House of Zupanije (counties) had previously been held in February 1993.
On 12 February 1997, President of the Republic Franjo Tudjman announced the postponement of that year's poll from 16 March to 13 April. Voting was ultimately extended by one day in eastern Slavonia.
The electoral campaign was somewhat lacklustre. Of the competing groups, the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) swept to victory, capturing 40 of the 63 seats at stake and emerging victorious in 19 of the country's 21 counties. It was closely followed in votes obtained (but not seats) by the ex-communist Social Democratic Party (SDP) - Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) alliance, which narrowly triumphed in the capital Zagreb. Third place went to the centrist Croatian Peasants' party (PSS) which, though not obtaining high totals, held the significant balance. Polling procedures - which took place simultaneously with voting for municipalities - were deemed generally fair by United Nations observers.
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 13 April 1997 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
3'664'693
2'614'874 (71.35%)
85'062
2'529'812 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SDP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) |
40
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SDP) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
59
4
6.15%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
21 to 30 years
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
Over 70 years
|
1
13
19
20
9
1
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
| Statistics: elective seats only |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
