Original scientific paper

County Elections in Croatia: On the Path to Genuine Regional Politics

Ivan Koprić orcid.org/0000-0002-9086-6937 ; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb
Daria Dubajić ; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb
Tijana Vukojić Tomić orcid.org/0000-0002-1791-7291 ; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb

Abstract

Current second-tier organization in Croatia is based on twenty counties and the City of Zagreb with the county status. The counties are relatively small and have a rather low financial capacity and developmental role. In the period 1993–2001, counties were predominantly units responsible for deconcentrated state administration, with rather narrow autonomy. That is why county elections were of third order, after national and local elections. After 2001, counties were rearranged as autonomous units without any state administrative tasks and with a widened self-government scope. County elections became second-order, subordinated to national elections, which is demonstrated in this analysis. Relatively low government congruence score between county and national governments over time confirms that government parties lose votes in county elections and opposition parties gain votes. The turnout rate shows that voters cast ballots in county elections more rarely than in national elections. The counties political arena is still dominated by national parties and their organizational branches. County elections are highly ‘nationalized’ since they reflect national political institutions, processes, and patterns of political behaviour. At the moment, a new regional concept with only five historical regions is under serious professional and political debate. In the near future, the introduction of new, genuine regional organization instead of present counties is likely. If those five new regions with broad autonomous scope of affairs are established, including regional development and strong regional policy, regional elections may become less subordinated to national elections and more oriented to specific interest of particular regions. The importance of regional elections depends mainly on the
significance of the regional scope of public affairs and the financial capacity of regional units.

Keywords

counties; Croatia; electoral system; national elections; county elections; county assembly; regional political parties; regional politics

Hrčak ID:

142732

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/142732

Publication date:

28.6.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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