Zagreb local elections, 2005

Zagreb local elections, 2005
Zagreb
15 May 2005

  First party Second party
 
Candidate Milan Bandić Marina Matulović-Dropulić
Party SDP HDZ
Seats won
25 / 51
9 / 51
Popular vote 102,857 38,672
Percentage 40.95% 15.44%
Mayor before election

Vlasta Pavić
SDP

 Elected Mayor

Milan Bandić
SDP

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The Zagreb local elections of 2005 were held on 15 May 2005 in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. On the last local elections, in 2001, Milan Bandić had been re-elected as the mayor of Zagreb. However, a 2002 incident made him resign in favor of Vlasta Pavić, a deputy mayor chosen by Social Democratic Party, Bandić's party. Pavić remained formally in control of the city until 2005. However, she was moved down the list of candidates to the 16th place, returning the local candidacy to Milan Bandić.

The elections mainly pitted the former mayors Milan Bandić (coalition of SDP, HSS and HSU) and Marina Matulović-Dropulić (coalition of HDZ, DC, HSLS and Croatian Christian Democrats), the two being represented by the two major Croatian political parties, SDP and HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union). SDP gained 25 seats in the Zagreb city council, receiving 40.95% votes, with Milan Bandić winning his third term as the Zagreb mayor.[1]

Coalitions

After the announcement of Milan Bandić as SDP's mayor candidate, Vesna Pusić, the head of Croatian People's Party (HNS) was vexed by the candidacy, presumably as Bandić had to resign from his earlier term due to a driving under the influence scandal and numerous other affairs.[2] Pusić announced the breakup of the SDP-HNS coalition, which was established in 2000 before Bandić became the mayor of Zagreb for the first time. Due to this breakup, HNS ran together with Liberal Party of Croatia (LS) with Pusić for mayor. However, Pusić's solo campaign wasn't successful and she collected only 8% of votes. The LS was later incorporated into Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS). SDP ran with Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) and Croatian Pensioners' Party (HSU), two parties with little influence in Zagreb. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) entered a coalition with various right-wing and center parties including Democratic Center (DC), Croatian Christian Democrats (HD) and HSLS.

Results

Milan Bandić, the leader of the Zagreb SDP, won the elections, starting his third term as the mayor of Zagreb. Even at a turnout of 35%, Bandić received less than 50% of the votes, having won votes of only a seventh of all eligible voters registered in Zagreb in 2005. The runner-up was Marina Matulović-Dropulić, the HDZ candidate, while Miroslav Rožić of HSP finished third.[1]

 Summary of the Zagreb mayoral election, 2005 election results
Party Candidate Votes % Seats
  SDP, HSS, HSU Milan Bandić 102,857 40.95 25
  HDZ, DC, HSLS, HD Marina Matulović-Dropulić 38,672 15.40 9
  HSP Miroslav Rožić 28,534 11.36 6
  HNS, LS Vesna Pusić 20,368 8.11 4
  Independent Tatjana Holjevac 17,497 6.97 4
  Independent Boris Mikšić 14,807 5.90 3
Other 28,415 11.31 0
Total (turnout: 35.36%) 251,150 – 51
Source: Department for Elections of the Republic of Croatia

Local elections candidates in Croatia are either political party representatives or representatives of independent lists. Write-ins are not allowed.

References

  1. 1 2 "XXI. Zagreb" (PDF). Croatian Department for Elections (in Croatian). 2005-05-16. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  2. ↑ "Pusić: Ako je Bandić kandidat za gradonačelnika nema koalicije s SDP-om". Croatian Radiotelevision (in Croatian). 2005-01-10. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
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