Croatian local elections, 2009
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Croatian local elections were held on 17 May, with the second round held on 31 May where necessary
.
The elections were held to elect members of city councils, mayors, members of county
councils and county prefects. These were the first elections in which mayors and county prefects were elected directly by popular vote, rather than by a majority coalition in the council. The new system allowed many independent politicians to run against big party nominees. Many cities elected independent mayors, most notable being Split
, Croatia's second largest city and Kaštela
. As a result many cities and counties elected opposite lists for mayoral and council elections causing a larger amount of cohabitation
local governments.
won the largest amount of cities and counties carrying ten prefect elections, thirteen in coalition, and fifteen council elections largely in coalition with the Croatian Peasant Party
and the Croatian Social Liberal Party
. The Social Democratic Party of Croatia
won five prefect elections, seven in coalitions, and six council elections mostly in coalition with the Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats and the Istrian Democratic Assembly
. The social democrats fared better in mayoral elections as well as in city council elections. They made considerable gains in Dalmatia
winning certain traditionally HDZ leaning cities such as Dubrovnik
, Šibenik
and Trogir
and also managed to win Vukovar
, a city that was almost destroyed in the Croatian War of Independence
and was since a HDZ stronghold. They also kept economically the most powerful parts of the country, Zagreb
, Rijeka
and, in coalition, Istria
. HDZ lost Split
and Osijek
, the second and the fourth most populous cities in the country respectively, but held Zadar
.
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
.
The elections were held to elect members of city councils, mayors, members of county
Counties of Croatia
The primary territorial subdivisions of the Republic of Croatia called županije . In English they are commonly referred to as counties....
councils and county prefects. These were the first elections in which mayors and county prefects were elected directly by popular vote, rather than by a majority coalition in the council. The new system allowed many independent politicians to run against big party nominees. Many cities elected independent mayors, most notable being Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Croatia's second largest city and Kaštela
Kaštela
Kaštela is a series of seven towns in central Dalmatia, located northwest of Split, west of Solin and east of Trogir, in Croatia. They are part of the Split-Dalmatia county and are treated as a single city with a population of 38,474 , although they are individually between 3,000 and 7,000...
. As a result many cities and counties elected opposite lists for mayoral and council elections causing a larger amount of cohabitation
Cohabitation (government)
Cohabitation in government occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France's system, when the President is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament. It occurs because such a system forces the president to name a premier that will be acceptable to the...
local governments.
Election results
The Croatian Democratic UnionCroatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
won the largest amount of cities and counties carrying ten prefect elections, thirteen in coalition, and fifteen council elections largely in coalition with the Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
and the Croatian Social Liberal Party
Croatian Social Liberal Party
Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was...
. The Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia...
won five prefect elections, seven in coalitions, and six council elections mostly in coalition with the Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats and the Istrian Democratic Assembly
Istrian Democratic Assembly
The Istrian Democratic Assembly is a Croatian regional and social liberal political party in Istria. The hyphenated abbreviation IDS-DDI is most commonly used....
. The social democrats fared better in mayoral elections as well as in city council elections. They made considerable gains in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
winning certain traditionally HDZ leaning cities such as Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, Šibenik
Šibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
and Trogir
Trogir
Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 12,995 and a total municipality population of 13,322 . The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo...
and also managed to win Vukovar
Vukovar
Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river and the Danube. Vukovar is the center of the Vukovar-Syrmia County...
, a city that was almost destroyed in the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
and was since a HDZ stronghold. They also kept economically the most powerful parts of the country, Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
and, in coalition, Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
. HDZ lost Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
and Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
, the second and the fourth most populous cities in the country respectively, but held Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
.