| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Hrvatski Sabor / Croatian Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
25 November 2007 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all seats in the Croatian Parliament (Hrvatski Sabor) on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
On 12 October 2007
the parliament voted to dissolve itself in view of elections due in November 2007. President Stjepan Mesic subsequently called elections for 25 November.
In the previous elections held in November 2003
the pro-western Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 66 seats. The main opposition party
the Social Democratic Party (SDP
former communist party) and its allies (the Libra
the Liberal Party
and the Istrian Democratic Party)
took 43 seats. The Croatian People's Party (HNS) won 11 seats
while the Croatian Party of the Right (HSP) and the Zagorje Democratic Party (ZDS) took eight seats each. The Croatian Peasant Party (HSS)
the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS)
and the Primorje Gorski Kotar Alliance (PGS) took nine
three
and one seat respectively. The remaining seats went to small parties.
A total of 3
585 candidates from 251 lists (parties and coalitions) ran for the 2007 elections.
The 2007 elections saw once again a duel between Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's HDZ
and the SDP of Mr. Zoran Milanovic. The main issues were economic policy and the country's accession to the European Union (EU) and NATO. Both parties were favourable to accede to the EU before 2010. While the HDZ pledged to accelerate the accession process
the SDP argued the conditions of accession were more important than speed. The SDP added that accession to NATO should be decided by a referendum. Opinion polls indicated that only around 40 per cent of Croatians were favourable to membership of NATO. The HSP
led by Mr. Anto Djapic
was the only major Eurosceptic party. It argued that Croatia needed to protect its industries
in particular
agriculture and fisheries.
Prime Minister Sanader advocated a liberal economy with less State involvement. Arguing that the government had created 129
000 jobs
the HDZ pledged to continue to support the private sector and stringent fiscal measures to achieve a balanced budget by 2010. The SDP insisted on more State control over the economy. It promised to lower taxes on businesses
while introducing a new tax on stock market gains. The HNS
led by Ms. Vesna Pusic
also promoted a liberal economy
and pledged to deal with unemployment by providing lifelong education. The Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) focused on health
welfare
and pensions in a bid to attract one million pensioners in the country. It said it would align itself with whichever party won the elections.
The HSS
the HSLS
and the PGS maintained an electoral alliance under the name HSS-HSLS Coalition. The Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) fielded candidates independently for the first time in its history. Its leader
Ivan Jakovcic
argued that the country should not rely on the two major parties (HDZ and SDP)
and vowed to promote decentralization. The Croatian Democratic Assembly of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB)
a breakaway party from the HDZ
was led by Mr. Branimir Glavas
MP and former military commander. He formed the HDSSB in May 2006 but was briefly jailed in October 2006 and April 2007 for alleged war crimes in 1991-2.
The HDZ had strong support from Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina who are eligible to vote. The SDP vowed to strip Bosnian Croats of the right to vote in Croatian elections if it was elected to office.
Over 57 per cent of the country's 4.5 million registered voters
including 400
000 voters abroad
turned out at the polls. Turnout in Croatia was recorded at 63.41 per cent. Turnout abroad was recorded at 22 per cent
although it reached 82 per cent in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) praised the elections for being transparently and professionally administered. It declared that they "represented further progress in fully meeting OSCE commitments for democratic elections".
The announcement of the final results was delayed due to irregularities in five polling stations
where the number of the votes cast exceeded the total number of the voters. Elections were repeated on 9 December in those polling stations. Election results remained unchanged.
The final results gave 66 seats to the ruling HDZ. The SDP came in second with 56 seats. The HSS-HSLS Coalition won eight seats and the HNS took seven. The IDS and the HDSSB won three seats respectively. The HSP and the HSU each won one seat. The eight remaining seats were reserved for representatives of ethnic minorities (see note). Both the HDZ and SDP leaders claimed the right to form a government.
On 15 December
President Mesic designated outgoing Prime Minister Mr. Sanader as the new Prime Minister
stating Mr. Sanader had showed his ability to form a coalition. Mr. Sanader subsequently formed a new coalition government comprising the HDZ
the HSS-HSLS Coalition
the HSU and representatives of all ehnic minorities.
The newly-elected parliament held its first session on 11 January 2008 and elected Mr. Luka Bebic (HDZ) as its new Speaker.
On 13 January
the parliament approved Mr. Sanader's new Cabinet. Mr. Slobodan Uzelac became the first ethnic Serb to hold the post of Deputy Prime Minister (in charge of economic development
reconstruction and the return of refugees) since Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Note on the eight members representing ethnic minorities:
- Czech and Slovak minority: Ms. Zdenka Cuhnil (independent)
- Serbian minority (three seats):
(1) Mr. Ratko Gajica (Independent Democratic Serbian Party
SDSS)
(2) Mr. Milorad Pupovac (SDSS)
(3) Mr. Vojislav Stanimirovic (SDSS)
- Austrian
Bulgarian
German
Polish
Roma
Romanian
Ruthenian
Russian
Turkish
Ukrainian
Vallachian and Jewish national minority: Mr. Nazif Memedi (independent)
Italian minority: Mr. Furio Radin (independent)
Hungarian minority: Mr. Denes Soja (independent)
Albanian
Bosnian
Montenegro
Macedonian and Slovenian minority: Mr. Semso Tankovic (Party of Democratic Action of Croatia
SDAH) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 25 November 2007 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
4'478'580
2'560'554 (57.17%)
37'731
2'522'823 |
|
Notes
|
Note on the turnout
The turnout figures above were calculated by the IPU Secretariat. They include results from the constituencies in Croatia
abroad (constituency XI) and those reserved for minorities (constituency XII).
Breakdown of the election results
Croatia
Number of registered electors: 3
824
731
Voters: 2
425
269 (64.31%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers: 35
878
Valid votes: 2
389
391
Abroad
Number of registered electors: 404
950
Voters: 90
402 (22.32%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers: 749
Valid votes: 89
653
Minorities
Number of registered electors: 248
899
Voters: 44883 (18.03%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers: 1
104
Valid votes: 43
779 |
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SDP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Peasant Party (HSS) - Social Liberal Party (HSLS) Coalition |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian People's Party (HNS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Party of the Right (HSP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) |
66
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SDP) |
56
|
|
|
|
|
| Peasant Party (HSS) - Social Liberal Party (HSLS) Coalition |
8
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian People's Party (HNS) |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Party of the Right (HSP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
121
32
20.92%
|
| 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
|
6
13
60
56
16
2
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://www.vjesnik.hr/Izbori_2007/
- Croatian Parliament (14.01.2008
19.02.2008
04.03.2008) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
