🇭🇷 Croatian General Election, April 17th 2024: HDZ-DP coalition to be formed
       |           

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
June 02, 2024, 10:03:19 PM
News: Election Simulator 2.0 Released. Senate/Gubernatorial maps, proportional electoral votes, and more - Read more

  Talk Elections
  Other Elections - Analysis and Discussion
  International Elections (Moderators: afleitch, Hash)
  🇭🇷 Croatian General Election, April 17th 2024: HDZ-DP coalition to be formed
« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 4
Author Topic: 🇭🇷 Croatian General Election, April 17th 2024: HDZ-DP coalition to be formed  (Read 4367 times)
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« on: December 28, 2023, 04:54:46 PM »
« edited: May 10, 2024, 07:45:10 AM by DavidB. »

Croatia will hold a general election in 2024. Officially, the election can be held no later than in September, but it is assumed it will be in the middle of March, before Easter. Once the Parliament is dissolved, President Zoran Milanović (SDP) gets to decide on the date within a certain range. The governing center-right HDZ would prefer a short campaign; Milanović will try to avoid that.

The Parliament has 151 seats; 140 of those are elected in ten multi-member constituencies with each 14 seats. 3 are elected by the diaspora and 8 are elected by the so-called 'national minorities'.

History
Croatia became independent in 1991 and has mostly been governed by HDZ, which can be considered the country's 'natural party of government'. The only exceptions were 2000-2003 and 2011-2015, in which the country was governed by a coalition led by the SDP, the social democratic successor of the Croatian faction of the Yugoslav communists. HDZ, on the other hand, started off as a very strongly nationalist and rather authoritarian party under President Franjo Tuđman (1990-1999); after his passing, however, HDZ moderated into a more typical pro-European right-wing party, albeit with a base that is partly much more conservative.

After the 2011-15 Milanović government, during which Croatia entered the European Union, an election followed in which HDZ came first but could not form a stable coalition under the very outspokenly right-wing Tomislav Karamarko. He was then replaced by the more centrist Andrej Plenković, who succeeded to form a coalition with (then) centrist Most. In July 2020, Plenković's HDZ managed to surprise - partly riding the COVID-19 rally-around-the-flag wave - by winning in a landslide by Croatian standards in what was supposed to be a neck-and-neck race. Although with only 46%, turnout was extremely low. This time, Plenković's HDZ was already very close to a majority in Parliament: he only needed two centrist/liberal splinters and the 8 seats for 'national minorities' for a stable majority.

Under the last government, Croatia has entered both the Schengen area and the eurozone, meaning it is now embedded in all types of European and transatlantic cooperation. Plenković has been careful not to align himself with the Visegrad 4 countries and instead stay close to Germany, EU Commission President Von der Leyen, and the 'EPP mainstream'. Plenković is Von der Leyen's darling: he is the head of government with the most bilateral visits with her since 2019 - and he is widely rumored to be interested in a top EU or NATO job, which may mean his stint as Prime Minister is almost finished.

Party system
From left to right, the political spectrum consists of Možemo ('We Can'), a Western-style green-left coalition that was riding high in the polls but has come down a little after winning and governing in the capital of Zagreb, which apparently hasn't been to everyone's liking; of the aforemenetioned SDP, fairly typical European social democrats; the center-right natural party of government HDZ still led by Plenković; right-wing conservative Most ('Bridge'), which has shifted from a centrist position to a more decidedly right-wing course over the years and which seems to be running in an alliance with the Croatian Sovereignists this time; and nationalist right-wing Homeland Movement (DP, Domovinski Pokret), which was catapulted to great heights due to patriotic singer Miroslav Škoro's shock performance in the 2019 presidential election, in which he almost reached the runoff - but has faced lots of infighting, splitoffs and Škoro's departure ever since.

In addition, some splinters will take part in the election, such as liberal Fokus and Centar, the regionalist Istrian Democratic Assembly, the Social Democrats (an SDP splitoff), and representatives of the Serbian minority.

Current polls look as follows...

... but Croatian polls absolutely blow, to the point where I almost assume they're made up - and they have often tended to underestimate HDZ support.

Anything can still happen, but the safest bet right now is a HDZ victory at the same or perhaps a slightly lower level than in 2020, with a similar outcome in terms of government formation. But things could get more complicated if HDZ don't reach a majority with the centrist splinters and the minority representatives, which is also very possible.

Electoral geography
In terms of geography, HDZ rack up the score in Dalmatia and Slavonia. These areas are more rural, religious and conservative in the first place, but there is also a very clear correlation between HDZ support and the extent to which areas were affected by the Homeland War for independence - in the first place the areas which were then located within the secessionist Serbian 'Krajina' statelet.

SDP do very well in Istria, on the Northern Adriatic Islands, and in northern Međimurje and Zagorje - the former two had no love for Croatian nationalism in the first place due to their cultural and historical ties to Italy, while Yugonostalgia is strong in the latter two. Možemo depend almost entirely on a good performance in the capital of Zagreb. The Homeland Movement does best in Slavonia, where Škoro is from, while Most do best in Dalmatia.

Within Dalmatia, it's mostly Northern Dalmatia and, further south, the Hinterland - the zagora - that push up the score for HDZ. The Southern Dalmatian coastline is more of a bellwether with higher SDP scores - the difference between the South Dalmatian coastline (and islands) and the strongly right-wing Hinterland is partly related to a historical orientation towards Italy vs historical orientation towards Herzegovina thing, as well as to a Partisan in WWII vs Ustaše in WWII thing. Like the South Dalmatian coastline, Central Croatia is also a bellwether. The runoff in the 2020 presidential election shows quite a good picture of a 50/50 left/right election.

Former election results - by election, constituency, municipality and precinct - can be found here.
Logged
Germany1994
Rookie
**
Posts: 99
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2023, 04:25:52 AM »

Croatia will hold a general election in 2024. Officially, the election can be held no later than in September, but it is assumed it will be in the middle of March, before Easter. Once the Parliament is dissolved, President Zoran Milanović (SDP) gets to decide on the date within a certain range. The governing center-right HDZ would prefer a short campaign; Milanović will try to avoid that.

The Parliament has 151 seats; 140 of those are elected in ten multi-member constituencies with each 14 seats. 3 are elected by the diaspora and 8 are elected by the so-called 'national minorities'.

History
Croatia became independent in 1991 and has mostly been governed by HDZ, which can be considered the country's 'natural party of government'. The only exceptions were 2000-2003 and 2011-2015, in which the country was governed by a coalition led by the SDP, the social democratic successor of the Croatian faction of the Yugoslav communists. HDZ, on the other hand, started off as a very strongly nationalist and rather authoritarian party under President Franjo Tuđman (1990-1999); after his passing, however, HDZ moderated into a more typical pro-European right-wing party, albeit with a base that is partly much more conservative.

After the 2011-15 Milanović government, during which Croatia entered the European Union, an election followed in which HDZ came first but could not form a stable coalition under the very outspokenly right-wing Tomislav Karamarko. He was then replaced by the more centrist Andrej Plenković, who succeeded to form a coalition with (then) centrist Most. In July 2020, Plenković's HDZ managed to surprise - partly riding the COVID-19 rally-around-the-flag wave - by winning in a landslide by Croatian standards in what was supposed to be a neck-and-neck race. Although with only 46%, turnout was extremely low. This time, Plenković's HDZ was already very close to a majority in Parliament: he only needed two centrist/liberal splinters and the 8 seats for 'national minorities' for a stable majority.

Under the last government, Croatia has entered both the Schengen area and the eurozone, meaning it is now embedded in all types of European and transatlantic cooperation. Plenković has been careful not to align himself with the Visegrad 4 countries and instead stay close to Germany, EU Commission President Von der Leyen, and the 'EPP mainstream'. Plenković is Von der Leyen's darling: he is the head of government with the most bilateral visits with her since 2019 - and he is widely rumored to be interested in a top EU or NATO job, which may mean his stint as Prime Minister is almost finished.

Party system
From left to right, the political spectrum consists of Možemo ('We Can'), a Western-style green-left coalition that was riding high in the polls but has come down a little after winning and governing in the capital of Zagreb, which apparently hasn't been to everyone's liking; of the aforemenetioned SDP, fairly typical European social democrats; the center-right natural party of government HDZ still led by Plenković; right-wing conservative Most ('Bridge'), which has shifted from a centrist position to a more decidedly right-wing course over the years and which seems to be running in an alliance with the Croatian Sovereignists this time; and nationalist right-wing Homeland Movement (DP, Domovinski Pokret), which was catapulted to great heights due to patriotic singer Miroslav Škoro's shock performance in the 2019 presidential election, in which he almost reached the runoff - but has faced lots of infighting, splitoffs and Škoro's departure ever since.

In addition, some splinters will take part in the election, such as liberal Fokus and Centar, the regionalist Istrian Democratic Assembly, the Social Democrats (an SDP splitoff), and representatives of the Serbian minority.

Current polls look as follows...

... but Croatian polls absolutely blow, to the point where I almost assume they're made up - and they have often tended to underestimate HDZ support.

Anything can still happen, but the safest bet right now is a HDZ victory at the same or perhaps a slightly lower level than in 2020, with a similar outcome in terms of government formation. But things could get more complicated if HDZ don't reach a majority with the centrist splinters and the minority representatives, which is also very possible.

Electoral geography
In terms of geography, HDZ rack up the score in Dalmatia and Slavonia. These areas are more rural, religious and conservative in the first place, but there is also a very clear correlation between HDZ support and the extent to which areas were affected by the Homeland War for independence - in the first place the areas which were then located within the secessionist Serbian 'Krajina' statelet.

SDP do very well in Istria, on the Northern Adriatic Islands, and in northern Međimurje and Zagorje - the former two had no love for Croatian nationalism in the first place due to its cultural and historical ties to Italy, while Yugonostalgia is strong in the latter two. Možemo depend almost entirely on a good performance in the capital of Zagreb. The Homeland Movement does best in Slavonia, where Škoro is from, while Most do best in Dalmatia.

Within Dalmatia, it's mostly Northern Dalmatia and, further south, the Hinterland - the zagora - that push up the score for HDZ. The Southern Dalmatian coastline is more of a bellwether with higher SDP scores - the difference between the South Dalmatian coastline (and islands) and the strongly right-wing Hinterland is partly related to a historical orientation towards Italy vs historical orientation towards Herzegovina thing, as well as to a Partisan in WWII vs Ustaše in WWII thing. Like the South Dalmatian coastline, Central Croatia is also a bellwether. The runoff in the 2020 presidential election shows quite a good picture of a 50/50 left/right election.

Former election results - by election, constituency, municipality and precinct - can be found
here.


Thanks for the very detailed post.

It seems that HDZ is also pretty weak in Zagreb. Any other reason than "big city so more left-wing"??

Are very any voter demographics from past elections?? Like voting behaviour by age, gender or occupation??
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2023, 07:08:52 AM »

Thanks for the very detailed post.

It seems that HDZ is also pretty weak in Zagreb. Any other reason than "big city so more left-wing"??

Are very any voter demographics from past elections?? Like voting behaviour by age, gender or occupation??
HDZ underperform in Zagreb compared to the national average, but that should be expected considering the fact that Zagreb is much more secular and progressive whereas HDZ is seen as more religious and conservative. Still, they get more than 20% in Zagreb too.

Haven't seen any detailed demographic stats for the previous elections - but that doesn't mean they're not around. Maybe someone else can help out.
Logged
Flyersfan232
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,928


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2023, 05:42:30 PM »

Thanks for the very detailed post.

It seems that HDZ is also pretty weak in Zagreb. Any other reason than "big city so more left-wing"??

Are very any voter demographics from past elections?? Like voting behaviour by age, gender or occupation??
HDZ underperform in Zagreb compared to the national average, but that should be expected considering the fact that Zagreb is much more secular and progressive whereas HDZ is seen as more religious and conservative. Still, they get more than 20% in Zagreb too.

Haven't seen any detailed demographic stats for the previous elections - but that doesn't mean they're not around. Maybe someone else can help out.
any calulator for the croatian electoral system???
Logged
MRCVzla
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 309
Venezuela


WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2023, 10:42:12 PM »

any calulator for the croatian electoral system???

Kind of difficult but not impossible (with the election results data up to precincts) due to the coalitions (mostly the ones with or without SDP) and specially the most recent redistricting process. Zagreb is now split between 3 instead of 4 constituencies, but some constituencies doesn't follow strictly county borders respect to the prior boundaries used since 2000 until this year' reform.
Logged
Battista Minola 1616
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 11,456
Vatican City State


Political Matrix
E: -5.55, S: -1.57

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2023, 01:23:31 PM »

You only mentioned it in passing but the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS in Croatian and DDI in Italian) is fairly strong and definitely deserves a shout when it comes to electoral geography. It has often run in a coalition with the SDP but not always: when it hasn't the HDZ has usually come in third in the electoral district that covers Istria, which gives a sense of just how left-leaning the region is.

Oh and then there's the diaspora vote. The Croatian diaspora is... peculiar. From what I've heard the reputation is that they're all Ustaše and looking at electoral results there is at least some truth in that, although mostly they just give gigantic scores to the HDZ.

With that said, your round-up was very informative without getting too convoluted, so thank you for a top-notch OP.
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2023, 03:47:04 PM »

Thank you, and good addition regarding Istria.

I don't think the idea that diaspora voters are 'all' or mostly Ustaše is a fair characterization. Most descendants of high-ranking Ustaše members who fled Croatia after 1945 probably don't have Croatian citizenship in the first place.

Croatian diaspora voters are often either a) guest workers in countries like Germany, who often come from poorer, rural areas, are disproportionately blue collar and often traditional/religious - just like the average guest worker from Turkey is likely to be quite conservative and religious, or b) refugees, often Croats from Bosnia or Herzegovina, because they faced ethnic cleansing there - an event that is likely to make someone more nationalistic (but that doesn't make them 'Ustaše').

And let's not forget that HDZ isn't some kind of far-right party in the first place - it barely deviates from the EPP mainstream.

Anyway, the total dominance of HDZ among diaspora voters makes it rather pointless for diaspora voters to vote in parliamentary elections. The seat distribution in the diaspora constituency is almost a foregone conclusion, which understandably makes a lot of people less inclined to travel for hours to their embassy or consulate to cast a vote. This is different for presidential elections, of course.
Logged
AustralianSwingVoter
Atlas Politician
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 5,059
Australia


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2023, 11:05:58 PM »
« Edited: December 30, 2023, 11:11:57 PM by AustralianSwingVoter »

Can confirm that the Croat-Australian diaspora, at least, is extremely Ustaše to this day. Since Menzies local Liberal party branches have had close ties to ultranationalist immigrant groups like the Ustaše. Go to any Croat social club or soccer team and you’ll still find portraits of Ante Pavelić and chants of Za dom spremni. The Ustaše flag is also commonly flown at Croat soccer clubs and more devoted homes.

The same ultranationalist tropes also apply to other Yugoslav Australian diasporas too. Ethnic soccer clubs are the biggest enduring demonstrations of their ultranationalism.
Logged
Battista Minola 1616
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 11,456
Vatican City State


Political Matrix
E: -5.55, S: -1.57

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #8 on: December 31, 2023, 07:00:23 AM »

To be clear, I stressed "some" as I was primarily alluding to the fact that the second most voted option after the HDZ is usually a much more right-wing nationalist one. Various actual Ustaše organizations were active abroad after 1945 but my understanding is that all have been dissolved for decades. Symbology is another matter of course.

On this note, I'm interested if you could talk more in detail about detuđmanizacija and the internal changes in the HDZ. Do parties like the Homeland Movement have any number of figures who came from it and opposed the new course or do they take from a different milieu?
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2023, 08:50:05 AM »

I am not that well acquainted with the history of HDZ in the 2000s, but my impression is that the moderation of the party was mostly driven by the desire to access the European Union, with all its financial and geopolitical perks - more so than due to any changes 'from the heart'. HDZ leader and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's instincts were more nationalist, but in order for Croatia to enter the European Union he was forced to compromise on his principles all the time - for instance on the extradition of suspects to the ICTY. Sanader successfully managed to fend off a right-wing faction within HDZ that opposed all of this.

Plenković, on the other hand, is the type of careerist, bureaucrat-like politician you'll find across pretty much every center-right party in Europe, from the Swedish Moderates to the Spanish PP. He is the least 'Tuđmanite' of all the HDZ leaders. The present day left-wing side of HDZ is more like him, while the right-wing side - of which former president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, internationally best known for supporting Croatia in the 2018 World Cup, was an exponent - attaches more value to Croatian nationalism and its symbols. Once Plenković leaves, it is not impossible for the HDZ pendulum to swing a bit more to the right again - in line with the times.

My impression is that parties to the right of HDZ like Most and DP recruit their people more from local politics or from civil society organizations (Homeland War veterans, regional interests, agriculture, Catholic organizations) and less from disappointed HDZ right-wingers, but people should feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here.
Logged
MayorCarcetti
Rookie
**
Posts: 74
Ireland, Republic of


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2024, 01:24:16 PM »

Can confirm that the Croat-Australian diaspora, at least, is extremely Ustaše to this day. Since Menzies local Liberal party branches have had close ties to ultranationalist immigrant groups like the Ustaše. Go to any Croat social club or soccer team and you’ll still find portraits of Ante Pavelić and chants of Za dom spremni. The Ustaše flag is also commonly flown at Croat soccer clubs and more devoted homes.

The same ultranationalist tropes also apply to other Yugoslav Australian diasporas too. Ethnic soccer clubs are the biggest enduring demonstrations of their ultranationalism.
The notorious Melbourne born Josip Šimunić, who infamously got three yellow cards while playing for Croatia against Australia at the 2006 World Cup (referee Graham Poll confused him with an Australian player because of his accent), has shown support for the Ustase on several occasions. Made an Ustase salute after a game in 2013 - the resulting controversy earned him a ban, a fine and ended his international career, and funded the making of a documentary that denied Ustase involvement in the genocide of Serbs and Jews.
Logged
AustralianSwingVoter
Atlas Politician
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 5,059
Australia


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2024, 01:32:39 PM »

Can confirm that the Croat-Australian diaspora, at least, is extremely Ustaše to this day. Since Menzies local Liberal party branches have had close ties to ultranationalist immigrant groups like the Ustaše. Go to any Croat social club or soccer team and you’ll still find portraits of Ante Pavelić and chants of Za dom spremni. The Ustaše flag is also commonly flown at Croat soccer clubs and more devoted homes.

The same ultranationalist tropes also apply to other Yugoslav Australian diasporas too. Ethnic soccer clubs are the biggest enduring demonstrations of their ultranationalism.
The notorious Melbourne born Josip Šimunić, who infamously got three yellow cards while playing for Croatia against Australia at the 2006 World Cup (referee Graham Poll confused him with an Australian player because of his accent), has shown support for the Ustase on several occasions. Made an Ustase salute after a game in 2013 - the resulting controversy earned him a ban, a fine and ended his international career, and funded the making of a documentary that denied Ustase involvement in the genocide of Serbs and Jews.

What’s most illuminating is at the time he (and many Croatian-Australians) genuinely didn’t know or see what he had done wrong. Unlike most other Australian immigrant diaspora, Yugoslav immigrants are incredibly disconnected from their home cultural influences. They function more like émigrés or Cubans in many ways.
Logged
Flyersfan232
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,928


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2024, 07:44:48 PM »

what is likely coaltion based on polling?
Logged
VPH
vivaportugalhabs
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 4,715
United States


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -0.17

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2024, 04:06:32 PM »

Whatever happened to that very weird populist outfit Živi zid?
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2024, 04:32:49 PM »

Whatever happened to that very weird populist outfit Živi zid?
The party was founded by Ivan Pernar, who had organized protests against the pre-2011 HDZ government, but its popularity was mostly fuelled by the successful presidential campaign of Ivan Vilibor Sinčić, who came third in the 2014 election. Afterwards, the party was doing quite well in the polls for some time. They had fallen down a little by November 2015 already, but still won 4.6% and 1 seat (in Central Croatia), for Sinčić. Then, in the early election in 2016, followed by HDZ leader Karamarko's failure to form a government, ŽZ did better: they won 8 seats in a coalition with a number of minor parties.

In 2019, Sinčić successfully ran in the EP election and won a seat, but shortly afterwards he fell out with Ivan Pernar, who seems not only a controversial but also a confrontational person (check out his Wiki for an impression). Pernar and a number of other people then left the party, which seems to have disintegrated ever since, probably partly due to Sinčić spending most of his time in Brussels. In the 2020 parliamentary election, they lost all of their seats.

On the demand side, the Zeitgeist has changed: among younger left-wing people, there seems to be a little less appetite for radical left-wing proposals with regard to the economy these days and more appetite for green and 'woke' politics, which Možemo has on offer. It is probably no coincidence that Možemo entered parliament when ŽZ dropped out. ŽZ also attracted some non-left-wing protest voters and they could have gone anywhere - given the 2020 election's low turnout, abstention isn't an unlikely guess for many of them.

Ultimately, ŽZ seems to have been too much of a one-man project and not enough of an actual movement to succeed in the long run.
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2024, 08:23:27 PM »

The 'before Easter' stories proved to be untrue, but there is an update as of today: Prime Minister Plenković (HDZ) has decided to dissolve the Parliament (Sabor) on March 22nd by the latest. This means President Milanović (originally SDP) now has to pick an election date between 30 and 60 days after the dissolution of the Sabor. The election will therefore take place somewhere between the end of April and the end of May. A date very late in the window would coincide with Pentecost and also come very close to the European Parliament election, held in Croatia on June 9th. I suppose that makes an election in early May the best guess.
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2024, 11:33:58 AM »

It will be April 17.
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #17 on: March 15, 2024, 07:11:53 PM »
« Edited: March 15, 2024, 07:41:37 PM by DavidB. »

President Zoran Milanović has announced he will lead the SDP list (as an "independent"... lol) and be the candidate for Prime Minster for the SDP. A massive move, as he is by far the SDP's most popular figure and would otherwise be cruising to re-election for President easily.

Quote from: Milanović on FB
Dear citizens, Croats,
I decided to run as an independent and non-partisan candidate on the SDP list in the elections for the Croatian Parliament, which will be held on April 17 this year. After the electoral victory, of which I am certain, I will step down from my position as the President of the Republic and, with the support of the new majority in the Croatian Parliament, assume responsibility for leading the Government of the Republic of Croatia. Until assuming a new position, I will continue to perform my duties as President of the Republic of Croatia in accordance with my constitutional obligations and duties.

Certainly a little questionable to stay on as President while campaigning, but I suppose he knows he can get away with it. He is certainly Plenković' most formidable opponent. It changes the game: an SDP led by Milanović is suddenly attractive to "left-conservative" voters who could otherwise abstain or perhaps vote for the nationalist right (DP), while HDZ could extend its reach towards younger, centrist voters who are skeptical of both parties (and politics in general) but are wary of squandering the country's economic progress and Euro-Atlantic integration - the latter being an issue on which the SDP in general has been as pro-Western as HDZ, but on which Milanović himself has been giving mixed messages (let's say a little more Smer, a little less PSOE), while HDZ has a proven record.

HDZ, meanwhile, held an event in Vinkovci, in the Slavonian HDZ heartland; they seem to be are basing their campaign on the slogan "credible" and are positioning themselves as the centrist, responsible force guiding Croatia to progress, development, prosperity, and international relevance, as opposed to the "retrograde/old fashioned left". This tweet by MEP Karlo Ressler, one of the up and coming people within the party, encompasses the message:

Quote from: Ressler on Twitter
Croatia is stronger. The economy is growing. The state is more organized. We are more respected internationally than ever before. Why would anyone want to go back to the old and proven incompetent?

Certainly hitting the right notes in a campaign that is suddenly a race against Milanović; smart angle for HDZ to attract centrists who are not in love with HDZ but want 'progress' and are skeptical of SDP, while attracting right-wingers who oppose 'the left' alike - I'm sure this is focus grouped very well. The term "incompetent" also implicitly refers to the 2011-15 SDP-led government under Milanović, which was rather widely seen as such.
Logged
Mike88
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 9,440
Portugal


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #18 on: March 15, 2024, 07:38:52 PM »

What the... ? I'm quite shocked with this move by Milanović.
Logged
Duke of York
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 2,101


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #19 on: March 15, 2024, 11:45:00 PM »

If Milanović becomes Prime Minister who would succeed him as President? Seems odd to give up the post of President but isn't it largely ceremonial?
Logged
Battista Minola 1616
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 11,456
Vatican City State


Political Matrix
E: -5.55, S: -1.57

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #20 on: March 16, 2024, 02:48:27 AM »

I don't think I have ever heard before of an incumbent non-executive head of state running to become head of government like this, quite odd.

I know Milanović is mostly controversial for the fights he's picked over the subject of Ukraine (a little Smer indeed). While attractive to "left-conservative" voters, could it conversely help Možemo scrape more "left-progressive" voters from the SDP? I notice that that party was left out of your post.
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,628
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #21 on: March 16, 2024, 07:48:44 AM »

While attractive to "left-conservative" voters, could it conversely help Možemo scrape more "left-progressive" voters from the SDP? I notice that that party was left out of your post.
Theoretically this could be true, but my impression is that Možemo will still suffer because of tactical voting. This is the left's chance to finally oust HDZ. Left-wing voters will flock to Milanović with or without liking his personality. Možemo will take a hit and I expect the same to happen to Domovinski Pokret on the right (in their case not 100% to HDZ, some will go to Milanović).
Logged
Mike88
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 9,440
Portugal


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2024, 06:37:56 PM »

The Constitutional Court has blocked Milanović's candidacy for PM:

Quote
Zoran Milanović, currently serving as Croatia’s president, on March 15 announced his candidacy for the post of prime minister for the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) in parliamentary elections scheduled for April 17.

Two days later, Croatia’s constitutional court barred him from running for PM until his presidential term ends in February 2025.

Since the president is by definition “a non-partisan person,” the court said in a statement issued Monday, he is not allowed to “participate in the political activities of any political party.”

The court also said that if Milanović becomes “a candidate for [prime minister] of the Republic of Croatia or another public or professional duty,” it would be “incompatible with his constitutional position and powers, and the principle of separation of powers.”

The center-right politician reacted to the court’s decision by posting an unusually short and cryptic message on Facebook: “The rivers of justice are coming.”

The court’s decision means that unless Milanović steps down as president, there will be no showdown between him and conservative PM Andrej Plenković, whose Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party enjoyed 28 percent support in February despite corruption allegations.

On Friday HDZ taunted Milanović in a tweet, saying his announcement had “motivated us to beat him and his SDP for the third time. Plenković added: “April 17 is World Circus Day. And to make the circus even bigger, Milanović decided to join the elections with SDP.”

Also, Milanović, center-right, c'mon POLITICO?
Logged
Storr
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 7,349
Moldova, Republic of


WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #23 on: March 18, 2024, 08:37:42 PM »

Ipsos, conducted for Dnevnik Nova TV

HDZ: 27.3%
SDP: 22.6%
DP: 7.9%
Most: 8.7%
Možemo: 8.7%
Others: 14.9%
Undecided: 10.1%

Notably: "Krešić reported and pointed out that 54% of those surveyed believe that Milanović should step down as President of the Republic before entering the race for the parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, as many as a third of those surveyed, 33% of them, believe that there is no need to deviate, while 13% have no opinion."
Logged
Flyersfan232
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,928


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #24 on: March 22, 2024, 06:59:45 AM »

so the courts rules against milanovic running now what?
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 4  
« previous next »
Jump to:  


Login with username, password and session length

Terms of Service - DMCA Agent and Policy - Privacy Policy and Cookies

Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines

Page created in 0.065 seconds with 9 queries.