2011 Croatian Parliamentary Election

Croatia officially the Republic of Croatia(Zagreb being the Capital)declared independence from Yugoslavia in June 1991, however the declaration came into effect on 8 October 1991.Croatia is located in Central Europe and South east Europe bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia in the east Slovenia  in the north-west, Hungary in the north-east and Montenegro and the Adriatic Sea in the south.

Previous Croatian Parliamentary Elections

Since 1990, six parliamentary elections were held in Croatia.(1990;1992;1995;2000;2003 &2007)  The election held in 1990 were the first multi-party elections following 45-year Communist Rule.
Center-Right Croatian Democratic Union(HDZ) was founded on June 17, 1989 by Croatian Nationalist dissidents led by Franjo Tudman.In the 1990 elections,HDZ won a majority in the Croatian Parliament, and Croatia became one of the few countries of Eastern Europe where Communist single party rule was replaced by anti-Communist single party rule. May 30, 1990 - the day the HDZ formally took power - was later celebrated as Statehood Day, a public holiday in Croatia.
HDZ Party Ruled Croatia throughout the 1990s and under its leadership, Croatia became independent (1991), was internationally recognised (1992), and consolidated all of its pre-war territory (by 1998). During that period, the HDZ won both the 1992 and 1995 parliamentary elections.
In the 1992 Presidential Elections, Franjo Tudman was elected president remain as undisputed leader until his death in 1999.The President of Croatia is elected to a five year term, by a direct vote of all citizens of Croatia.

FranjoTuđman's death in December 1999, had an impact on the 2000 Parliamentary Elections,though the HDZ remained the largest single party, it was defeated by a Left-Centre Coalition of 6 Opposition Parties.
In the 2003 Parliamentary Elections held on November 23, 2003.HDZ Party returned to power ld by Ivo Sanader.
2007 Parliamentary Elections  were held on 25 November 2007 in Croatia and on 24 November and 25 November 2007 abroad and HDZ Party retained power led by Ivo Sanader.On 1 July 2009, Ivo Sanade announced he was resigning the Premiership and leaving his deputy Jadranka Kosor as Prime Minister.On January 3, 2010, Ivo Sanader announced he was returning to active politics saying it was a mistake he ever left. He accused Kosor and the members of the HDZ Presidency of failed leadership.
On October 28,2011 the MP's voted to dissolve the Parliament and the election was officially called when the President of the Republic Ivo Josipović agreed to a dissolution of Parliament on 31 October, allowing the general election to take place on  December 4,2011.



 2011 Croatian Parliamentary Election

 

Croatian parliamentary election(7th parliamentary election in Croatia since independence on June 25, 1991) was held on Sunday, December 4, 2011 to elect 151 members to the Croatian Parliament(Members of the Parliament of Croatia are elected to a four-year term) The regular parliamentary election was to be held on or before March 11,2012.The election was officially called when the President of the Republic Ivo Josipović agreed to a dissolution of Parliament on 31 October, allowing the general election to take place on  December 4,2011.

Electoral System

Croatia has been divided into 10 Croatian Parliament Electoral Districts,named using Roman numerals.Each district sends 14 MPs to the parliament and winning candidates are determined using the Party-List Proportional Representation voting system.

In addition, there are two non-geographical districts. In District XI, 3 members are chosen by Croatian citizens residing abroad.In District XII an additional 8 members are elected to represent the 22 ethnic minorities in Croatia which are legally recognized as such in the Croatian Constitution.

Main Contenders in the Election
PM Jadranka Kosor’s Center-Right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and an Opposition Coalition led by Zoran Milanovic’s Center-Left Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ): Once fiercely nationalist, it ruled Croatia from its 1991 independence until 2000. The party returned to power in 2003 and 2007.
Social Democratic Party (SDP) came to power in 2000.