Parliament of Croatia

The Parliament of Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatski Sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and legislature of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, represents the people and is vested with the legislative power.^[1] The Sabor is composed of between 151 members elected directly to a four year term on the basis of direct universal and equal suffrage by secret ballot, for a term of 4 years. Seats are allocated according to the Croatian Parliament electoral districts—140 members of the parliament are elected in multi-seat constituencies, 8 from the minorities and 3 from Croatian diaspora. The Sabor is presided by a Speaker, who is assisted by at least one deputy speaker (usually four or five deputies). The office is held by Boris Šprem and the 7th assembly of the Parliament of Croatia comprises 146 MPs from 13 political parties, most of them affiliated with the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (60) and the Croatian Democratic Union (44) and 6 independent MPs.

Powers of the Sabor are defined by the Constitution of Croatia. They comprise defining economic, legal and political relations in Croatia, preservation and use of heritage and entering into alliances. The Sabor has right to deploy Croatian armed forces abroad, and it may restrict some constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters. The Sabor reserves the right to amend borders of Croatia or the Constitution, it enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts documents pertaining to policies of the parliament, adopts national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operation of the Government and other civil services responsible to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.

Sabor, in its various forms, represented identity and position of Croats since national councils of nobility of the 9th century to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb on 19 April 1273. Parliament on Cetin held in 1527 was a decisive event of fundamental importance for extending and confirming of Croatian statehood. Since then, the Sabor became a regular diet of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilises by 1558 as the Parliament of Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it is regularly styled as Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler supporting what later became Pragmatic Sanction of 1713. Since mid-1800s, the Sabor regularly meets and its members are elected regularly. Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs which later joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The Sabor did not meet between 1918 and 1945, reconvening for the first time as an assembly of ZAVNOH in 1945 and evolving since through various structures. Following the first multi-party elections since the Communist rule and adoption of the 1990 constitution, the Sabor was bicameral until 2001, when constitutional amendments changed it to unicameral form retained to this day.

Powers of the Parliament

The Parliament of Croatia is a representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and it acts as the legislature of the country. Its convenes regularly twice per year, from 15 January to 15 July and from 15 September and 15 December, but extraordinary sessions may be called by the President of Croatia, the Government of Croatia or majority of the members of the parliament. The sessions are open to the public. The parliament decides through absolute majority votes, except in issues pertaining to national minorities in Croatia, the constitution, electoral legislation, scope and method of operation of the governmental bodies, and the local government, when decisions are made by two-thirds majority votes. The parliament may authorise the government to enact regulations dealing with matters normally covered by parliamentary acts. Such regulations expire one year after the authorisation is issued to the government. The authorisation does not apply to matters otherwise decided upon by a two-thirds vote in the parliament. Legislation enacted by the parliament is endorsed by the President of Croatia within eight days or referred to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia. The Constitution of Croatia mandates that the parliament consists of at least 100 members and no more than 160 members, elected directly by a secret ballot. The members of the parliament are elected to a four year term, and they elect the Speaker of the Parliament and one or more deputy speakers. Parliamentary elections are held within 60 days following expiry of the term or dissolution of the parliament, and new parliament convenes within 20 days after the elections. The members are granted parliamentary immunity, and their criminal prosecution is possible only after consent of the parliament, except in cases of crimes for which five years of imprisonment is mandated. The parliament may appoint investigative commissions for any matter of public interest.^[2]

Powers of the Croatian Parliament are defined by the Constitution of Croatia. Those include defining economic, legal and political relations in the Republic of Croatia, preservation of natural and cultural heritage of Croatia and its utilisation, forming alliances with other states. The parliament has right to deploy Croatian armed forces abroad. It may also restrict constitutional rights and liberties in wartime or in cases of imminent war or following natural disasters, although that constitutional provision is limited to specific rights. In those circumstances, the term of the members of the parliament may be extended. The parliament reserves the right to amend borders of Croatia. The parliament decides on amendments of the constitution, enacts legislation, passes the state budget, declares war and decides on cessation of hostilities, adopts documents pertaining to policies of the parliament, adopts national security and defence strategies, implements civil supervision of the armed forces and security services, calls referenda, performs elections and appointments conforming to the constitution and applicable legislation, supervises operation of the government and other civil services responsible to the parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences and performs other duties defined by the constitution.^[2]

The Government of Croatia is responsible to the parliament, but other institutions, such as the Croatian National Bank and the State Audit Office also report to the parliament directly. The parliament appoints an ombudsman to promote and protect human rights and liberties established by the constitution, national legislation and international legal documents adopted by Croatia. The ombudsman is appointed for an eight year term and work of the ombudsman is independent. The ombudsman, as well as any other persons authorised to act on behalf of the parliament, are granted parliamentary immunity equal to that enjoyed by the members of the parliament.^[2]

Speaker of the Parliament

Since the first multi-party elections held after start of the Communist rule, there were seven speakers of the parliament, and the first five, executing the office until amendment of the constitution of March 2001, were also speakers of the Chamber of Deputies as the parliament was bicameral at the time.^[3] As of 22 December 2011, Boris Šprem (SDP) is the Speaker of the Parliament. At the same time, five deputy speakers were elected: Josip Leko (SDP), Nenad Stazić, (SDP) Milorad Batinić (SDP), Jadranka Kosor (HDZ) and Vladimir Šeks (HDZ).^[4]

The speaker of the parliament assumes role of an acting President of the Republic in case of death, resignation or incapacitation of the President of the Croatia, as defined by the constitution.^[2] This situation occurred after the death of Franjo Tuđman in 1999, when Vlatko Pavletić became the acting president.^[5] After the parliamentary elections of 2000, the role was transferred to Zlatko Tomčić, who filled the office until Stjepan Mesić was elected President of Croatia in 2000.^[6]

Composition

7th assembly

Conforming to current electoral legislation in Croatia, 140 members of the Parliament of Croatia are elected in multi-seat constituencies, up to 3 members chosen by proportional representation to represent Croatian citizens residing abroad and 8 members represent ethnic and national communities or minorities.^[7] The two largest political parties in Croatia are the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).^[8] The last parliamentary elections were held on 4 December 2011. Since the members of the parliament may change political affiliation or be appointed to other offices during their term, numbers of seats won in elections and actual balance of power in the parliament is known to change between the elections, although the changes are rarely numerous.^[9] By 23 December 2011, HDZ gained an additional seat compared to the 2011, Croatian parliamentary election results, while the Democratic Centre (DC) lost one seat.^[10]

As of 23 December 2011, the 7th assembly of the Parliament of Croatia consisted of 151 members of the parliament, 60 taken by the SDP, 45 by the HDZ, 14 by the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), 6 by the Croatian Labourists – Labour Party, 6 by the Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB), 3 by the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), 3 by the Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU), 3 by the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), 2 by the Croatian Citizen Party, 1 each by the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), the Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević (HSP-AS) and the Bosnian Democratic Party of Croatia (BDPC) while the remaining 6 seats were won by independent members of the parliament. All the SDSS and BDPC seats, as well as one of the HNS seats were won in election of national minority representatives to the parliament.^[11][12]

Previous parliamentary elections

Since 1990, seven parliamentary elections were held in Croatia. The election held in 1990 were the first multi-party elections following 45-year Communist rule, and the candidates ran for all 80 seats in the Social-Political Council of Croatia, all 116 seats to the Municipalities Council of Croatia and all 160 seats to the Associated Labour Council of Croatia as the Parliament had three chambers at the time. The first round of the election saw turnout of 85.5%, and the runoff-election turnout was 74.8%. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 205 seats and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia won 107. Five parliamentary elections were held since for the Chamber of Deputies (Croatian: Zastupnički dom) of the parliament or the unicameral parliament since—in 1992, 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2007. Starting with the 1992 elections, number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and later in the unicameral parliament was significantly changed—ranging between 127 in 1995 to 153 in 2007. In Croatian parliamentary elections held since 1992 when number of seats in the parliament was limited to below 160, only 5 parties won 10 seats or more at any one of the parliamentary election. Those were HDZ, Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and SDP.^[25]

Several political parties, besides the HDZ, HSS, HNS, HSLS and the SDP, won parliamentary seats since the 1990 election. Those are (in alphabetical order): Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar (previously named Rijeka Democratic Alliance), Croatian Christian Democratic Union, Croatian Citizen Party, Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja, Croatian Democratic Peasant Party, Croatian Independent Democrats, Croatian Party of Pensioners, Croatian Party of Rights, Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević, Dalmatian Action, Democratic Centre, Istrian Democratic Assembly, Liberal Party, Party of Liberal Democrats, Serb Democratic Party, Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party, and Social Democratic Action of Croatia.^[25] The following parties won special seats reserved for national minority representatives (also in alphabetical order): Bosnian Democratic Party of Croatia, Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia, German People's Union – National Association of Danube Swabians in Croatia, Independent Democratic Serb Party, Party of Democratic Action of Croatia, Serb People's Party.^[25] In addition, numerous independents won seats through party lists, and Ivan Grubišić's list won seats on its own list.^[25] Since the parliament seats won belong to individuals rather than parties, there were instances where individuals would become independent or switch to another political party.^[26]

Chamber of the Counties

Under the new Constitution of Croatia adopted in 1990, Croatian Parliament became bicameral. The Chamber of Deputies had been elected few months earlier and its members enacted legislation creating new territorial organisation of Croatia. This included counties that were to be represented by the new Chamber of Counties (Croatian: Županijski dom). The first election of members of the chamber was held on 7 February 1993, with each of the counties acting as a multi-seat constituency, three MPs being elected in each of the counties on the basis of proportional representation. In addition, the President of Croatia appointed up to five more members of the Chamber of the Counties to complete its 68-strong membership. The second, and the last election for the Chamber of Counties of the parliament were held on 13 April 1997.^[25][27] The Chamber of Counties was abolished through a constitutional amendment in 2001.^[28]

Historical background

Sabor, in its various forms, represented identity and position of Croats since national councils of nobility of the 9th century to the modern parliament. The oldest Sabor whose records are preserved was held in Zagreb on 19 April 1273 as Congregatio Regni tocius Sclavonie generalis (General diet of the entire kingdom of Slavonia). Its decisions had power of legislation acts.^[29] Parliament on Cetin held in 1527 was a decisive event of fundamental importance for extending and confirming of Croatian statehood, as described by the Constitution of Croatia.^[2] The parliament freely chose Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg as new ruler of Croatia, after centuries of personal union with Hungary.^[29][30] Following the Parliament on Cetin, Sabor became a regular diet of the nobility, and its official title gradually stabilises by 1558 as the Parliament of Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Since 1681 it is regularly styled as Congregatio Regnorum Croatie, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae (Diet of Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia).^[29] In 1712, the Sabor once again invoked its prerogative to select the ruler supporting what later became Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, and electing Maria Theresa of Austria as monarch.^[29] This event is also specified by the Constitution of Croatia as a part of foundation of unbroken Croatian statehood since the Middle Ages to the present.^[2]

Events of 1848 in Europe and in in the Austrian Empire represent a watershed in Croatian society and politics, as it symbolizes the Croatian national revival that strongly influenced and significantly shaped political and social events in Croatia from that point onwards to the end of the 20th century. At the time, Sabor advocated implicit severance of ties with the Kingdom of Hungary, emphasizing links to other South Slavic lands within the empire. A period of neo-absolutism was followed by Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and Croatian–Hungarian Settlement recognizing limited independence of Croatia compounded by reinvigorated claims of uninterrupted Croatian statehood. Two political parties that evolved in the 1860s and contributed significantly to the sentiment were the Party of Rights and the People's Party. They were opposed by the National Constitutional Party who were in power for most of the period between the 1860s and the 1918, advocating closer ties between Croatia and Hungary. Other significant parties formed in the era were the Serb People's Independent Party, who would later form the Croat-Serb Coalition with the Party of Rights and other Croat and Serb parties. The Coalition ruled Croatia between 1903 and 1918. Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), established in 1904 and led by Stjepan Radić, advocated Croatian autonomy but achieved only moderate gains by 1918.^[31] In Dalmatia, two major parties were the People's Party, a branch of the People's Party active in Croatia-Slavonia and the Autonomist Party, advocating maintaining autonomy of Dalmatia, opposite to the People's Party demands for unification of Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia. The Autonomist Party was also linked to Italian irredentism. By 1900s, the Party of Rights also made electoral gains in Dalmatia.^[32] The Autonomists won the first three elections, while all others since 1870 were won by the People's Party. In 1861–1918 there were 17 elections in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia and 10 in the Kingdom of Dalmatia.^[31]

Exercising its sovereignty once again on 29 October 1918, Sabor decided on independence from Austria-Hungary and formation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. Council of the newly established state voted to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, however Sabor never confirmed that decision.^[2][29] The 1921 constitution defining the new kingdom as a unitary state and abolition of historical administrative divisions effectively ended Croatian autonomy and Sabor did not convene until the 1940s.^[33] Cvetković–Maček Agreement of August 1939 established autonomous Banovina of Croatia, where the Yugoslav government retained control of defence, internal security, foreign affairs, trade, and transport while other matters were left to the Croatian Sabor and a crown-appointed Ban.^[34] Before any elections were held, the establishment was made obsolete with beginning of the World War II, establishment of the Independent State of Croatia which banned all political opposition.^[35] In 1942, three sessions of an unelected Sabor assembly were held in the Independent State of Croatia. The sessions were held between 23 February and 28 December 1942, when it was formally dissolved. The assembly had no real power as the state was under direct rule of Ante Pavelić.^[29]

The post-World War II Sabor developed from the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia formed in 1943.^[29] After the war, the Communists ran unopposed in elections of 1945.^[36] Once in power, the Communists introduced a single-party political system, with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia as the ruling party and the Communist Party of Croatia as its branch.^[37] In January 1990, the Communist Party fragmented along national lines, with the Croatian faction demanding a looser federation.^[38] During the Communist rule, Sabor went from an unicameral parliament as defined by the 1947 constitutions, to bicameral in 1953, changing again in 1963 to as many as five chambers, and then to three in 1974. Constitutional amendments of 1971 established Presidency of Sabor, and one of its functions became representing Croatia abroad.^[29]

The first political party founded in Croatia since beginning of the Communist rule was the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), established on 20 May 1989, followed by the Croatian Democratic Union on 17 June 1989. In December, Ivica Račan became the head of the reformed Communist party. At the same time, the Communist party decided to cancel political trials, release political prisoners and to endorse a multi-party political system. The Civil Organisations Act was formally amended to allow political parties on 11 January 1990, legalising the new parties. By the time of the first round of the first multi-party elections, held on 22 April 1990, there were 33 registered parties. Still, the most relevant parties and coalitions were the renamed Communist party—League of Communists of Croatia - Party of Democratic Changes, the HDZ and the Coalition of People's Accord (KNS), which included the HSLS led by Dražen Budiša and the HSS, which resumed operating in Croatia in December 1989.^[39][40] The runoff election was held on 6 May 1990. Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) led by Franjo Tuđman won ahead of the reformed Communists and the KNS. The KNS, led by once leaders of the Croatian Spring, Savka Dabčević-Kučar and Miko Tripalo, soon splintered to individual parties. The HDZ maintained a parliamentary majority until parliamentary elections of 2000 when it was defeated by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) led by Račan.^[41] On 8 October 1991, Croatia's declaration of independence took effect.^[42] The HDZ returned to power in elections of 2003, while the SDP remains the largest opposition party.^[25] Constitution of 1990 defined Sabor as a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Counties. In 2001, the Constitution was amended and the Chamber of Counties abolished, rendering Sabor once again unicameral.^[28]

Location of the Parliament

The Sabor has convened in Zagreb since the 13th century, but there was no special building for the purpose until the 18th century. Sessions of the Sabor were held in private houses, in royal estates in Gradec and at bishop's residence.^[43] During the Croatian-Ottoman Wars, which severely disrupted the functioning of the Croatian kingdom, the Sabor sessions became so impractical that the 1685 session decided to have the ban appoint a six-member committee to do the work of Sabor when sessions were not possible. This body became operational in 1689 and had its mandate extended into the entire 18th and into the 19th century. This Conferentia Regnorum Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae consisted of the ban, two high clerics and three or four noblemen, and it would bring forward numerous acts, as well as meet in various places, including mainly Zagreb and Varaždin, but also in Čiče, Ludbreg, Kerestinec, Vienna, Želin, Bratislava, Klenovnik, Slunj, Glina, Petrinja, Rasinja, Ptuj and Budim.^[44]

In 1731, the government purchased houses at the site of the present building and construction of a new building started the next year. The Sabor first met in the new building on 6 May 1737. The building was originally designed to accommodate archives, a court and office of the ban, but Zagreb County moved in as well in 1765. The ban's office, the court and the archives moved out of the building in 1807, when a building across the St. Mark's Square was bought to accommodate them. Subsequently, the newly purchased building was named Banski dvori after its new primary purpose of housing the ban and his office. The Zagreb County purchased buildings adjacent to the parliament in 1839 and commissioned a new building at the site. It was completed in 1849, and consequently Sabor had to convene elsewhere during that time and it met in theatre building located on a corner of the square. The theatre building later became the Zagreb City Hall.^[43]

In 1907, government of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia bought the parliament building and adjacent structures, starting construction of the present parliament building. At the same time, the Zagreb County moved its headquarters elsewhere, leaving the Sabor as the sole user at the site. The present parliament building was completed in 1911 according to designs of Lav Kalda and Karlo Susan.^[43]

See also

• Constitution of Croatia
• Elections in Croatia
• Politics of Croatia

Notes

External links

• The Croatian Parliament