Original scientific paper
Croatian Religious Communities in the (Counter)majoritarian Prism of the Secular State
Matija Miloš
; Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci
Abstract
This paper analyses the constitutional provisions which establish the secular state in the Republic of Croatia. The relevant parts of the constitutional text outline the following three requirements: equality of religious communities before the law, their separation from the state and, finally, the assistance and protection the state is obliged to provide. These form a complex whole which is permeated by majoritarian and countermajoritarian factors. Consequently, the provisions on the secular state attempt to introduce two opposing elements to its relationship with religion: democratic decision-making and its limitations. It is the former that prevail at the time of writing, and I provide an overview of some of the influences that support its flourishing. I also warn that the majoritarian and countermajoriatian facets of the secular state should not be confused; pointing out that an adequately regulated relationship with religious communities forms the basis of the Croatian secular state.
Keywords
constitutional law; secular state; religious communities
Hrčak ID:
131269
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2014.
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