Pregledni rad
The Origins of the Multi-Party System in Croatia in 1989
Šime Dunatov
; Zadar, Hrvatska
Sažetak
After the death of Josip Broz Tito in 1980, the Yugoslav federal union reached a state of deep political crisis. Serbia asked for a revision of the Yugoslav constitution from 1974 and advocated for a centralized unitary state structure, whereas Slovenia and Croatia defended the constitution adopted in 1974 and wanted further democratization of Yugoslavia. These opposed views led to a complete break-up at the highest political level, the Party of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ). As the Greater Serbian movement strenghtened and territorial claims were imposed on the other republics where Serbian ethnic minorities lived in 1989, the so-called oppositian politicians in Croatia broke the policy of silence of the Party of Communists of Croatia (SKH). The Croatian political alternative gathered during 1989 and began, acting in hiding, to hold meetings, undertake initiatives, write programmes and eventually establish political parties whose task was to defend the Croatian national interests. Under such requirements of the opposition, the official communist government started the process of liberalization and legalized the new political parties. If we compare the party programmes of HSLS, HDZ and SKH-SDP, it may be noticed that all three parties declaratively advocated for the democratization of society, a transition to a market economy and private ownership, the establishment of general civil liberties and minority rights etc. The basic programme difference was in the relationship of Croatia to Yugoslavia. However, given the political threat and territorial claims which came from the neighbouring Republic of Serbia, the attitude about the future position of Croatia inside or outside Yugoslavia proved to be the key programme and political element which meant either a victory or a defeat in the first democratic, multi-party elections in Croatia.
Ključne riječi
Croatia; multi-party system; democratic elections; HSLS; HDZ; SKH-SDP; 1989
Hrčak ID:
63903
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.12.2010.
Posjeta: 6.148 *