Original scientific paper
CROATIAN PARLIAMENT 2003: PATTERNS OF POLITICAL RECRUITMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY ELITE
Vlasta Ilišin
; Institute for Social Research, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This paper is a continuation and an extension of the longitudinal
monitoring and analysis of the party dynamics, social structure and
certain political features of the representatives in the Croatian Parliament (Sabor). The goal of the research was to discern the patterns of political recruitment of the parliamentary elite by means of a comparative analysis of social and political characteristics of the representatives in all five compositions of the Parliament and – in the last, fifth composition – by comparing the representatives’ political party affiliations and their parliamentary experience. It has turned out that the representatives are mostly male (average age 49 years), of urban provenience and residence, Croats, Catholics, diploma-holders
(largely in social sciences and humanities), and politicians with a remarkable managerial and political experience gained primarily
through their work in political parties. The conclusion is that in Croatia the trends regarding the patterns of political recruitment of the parliamentary elite are in line with those in developed democratic
systems.
Keywords
Croatian Parliament (Sabor); parliamentary elite; recruitment patterns; social structure; political experience and competence; democratic consolidation
Hrčak ID:
20780
URI
Publication date:
18.12.2007.
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