Liberal Party (Croatia)

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The Liberal Party (Croatian Liberalna stranka, LS) is now defunct liberal party in Croatia. The party was a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its last leader was Zlatko Benašić.

It was formed in 1997 by Vladimir Gotovac after his faction split off from the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS). In 2000, the party had two representatives in the Parliament and had one minister in a coalition government with the much larger Social Democratic Party of Croatia.

LS confirmed their two representatives in the Parliament in the 2003 elections, in an alliance with the social democrats, but became part of the opposition.

After the last elections party leader Ivo Banac announced merger of LS with Croatian People's Party and LIBRA into one big liberal party, but this inititiave was opposed by faction led by Zlatko Kramarić. Banac was replaced on party convention.

After the 2005 local elections Zlatko Kramarić started merger negotiations with the Croatian Social Liberal Party. That prompted group of dissidents in city of Split to form new party called Dalmatian Liberal Party.

Liberal Party formally ceased to exist with all of its membership and party infrastructure re-joining HSLS in early 2006.