TheCroatian Social Liberal Party(Croatian:Hrvatska socijalno-liberalna strankaorHSLS) is aconservative-liberal[5]political partyinCroatia.
Croatian Social Liberal Party Hrvatska socijalno-liberalna stranka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | HSLS |
| President | Dario Hrebak |
| Founder | Slavko Goldstein Daniel Ivin[1] |
| Founded | 20 May 1989 |
| Headquarters | Zagreb,Croatia |
| Membership(2021) | 13,676[2] |
| Ideology | Conservative liberalism |
| Political position | Centre[3]tocentre-right[4] |
| National affiliation | Patriotic Coalition(2015–2016) Croatian Democratic Union(coalition since 2016) |
| Regional affiliation | Liberal South East European Network |
| European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe(affiliate member) |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| Colours | Yellow Magenta Blue |
| Sabor | 2 / 151 |
| European Parliament | 0 / 12 |
| County Prefects | 0 / 21 |
| Mayors | 1 / 128 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The HSLS were established in May 1989 inZagrebas the first Croatian political party formed after the re-introduction of the multi-party system, at the time whenSR Croatiawas still part ofSFR Yugoslavia.
Following Croatia's independence in 1991 the subsequent rule of the conservativeCroatian Democratic Union(HDZ), the HSLS were one of the dominant forces in Croatian politics, espousing a liberal and centre-left platform. The party first won elections in2000and formed a coalition government with four other parties, including the majorsocial-democratpartySDP.
The next couple of years were marked by squabbles between HSLS and SDP, with HSLS leaderDražen Budišagradually becoming more right-wing, briefly resigning in 2001, only to come back to leave theRačan cabinetin 2002 and move back into opposition. The move led to at least two liberal factions splintering, and the HSLS turning more conservative. After losing the2003 election,in which Budiša's HSLS shunned both the centre-left and centre-right coalitions, the party's decline in political influence started.
Between 2010 and 2015 the party was not represented in parliament. Since 2015 HSLS consistently run on tickets with the ruling HDZ. In the most recent2024 electionHSLS won two MPs in the 151-seatSabor,as part of a wider conservative coalition.
On the European level, HSLS are one of several Croatian parties affiliated withALDE,the main pan-European liberal political group. Since 2019 the party has been led byDario Hrebak,who also serves as the mayor ofBjelovar,the party's only town mayor in Croatia.
History
edit
The HSLS was formed on 20 May 1989 as Croatian Social Liberal Union (Croatian:Hrvatski socijalno liberalni savez).[6]It was the first Croatian political party formed after the reintroduction of multi-party system. As such it was part ofCoalition of People's Accordduring the first free elections in 1990. Its first leader wasSlavko Goldstein,succeeded in 1990 byDražen Budiša,who remained the leader until 1995. HSLS became the main opposition party after 1992 presidential and parliamentary elections and remained such until the late 1990s.
In February 1996,Vlado Gotovacbecame the president of the party. However, in November 1997 Budiša became the president again, and a faction led by Gotovac split off to form theLiberal Party.
In 1998, HSLS created permanent coalition withSocial Democratic Party(SDP), which won elections two years later, replaced rulingCroatian Democratic Unionand formed the new government together with four other parties.
However, after the party split in 2002 (the forming ofLIBRA), HSLS left the government.
At the2003 Croatian parliamentary election,an alliance of the HSLS and theDemocratic Centrewon 4.0% of the popular vote and 3 out of 151 seats. Two of these seats were held by the HSLS, down from 25 in 2000, causing Budiša to submit his resignation as president. After elections the HSLS supported the government ofIvo Sanader.In 2004,Ivan Čehokwas elected party president.
After the2005 Croatian local elections,it was announced that there are merger negotiations between HSLS and theLiberal Party.The latter dissolved itself, with membership and party infrastructure re-joining HSLS in January 2006.Đurđa Adlešičsucceeded Ivan Čehok as the leader of reunited party.
Before the2007 elections,HSLS, although still in government announced joint election ticket with opposition parties –Croatian Peasant PartyandAlliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar.This coalition as a whole lost five seats compared to the previous election, but HSLS retained their two seats. They remained in the governing coalition under Ivo Sanader.
HSLS continued to support the government ofJadranka Kosoruntil 20 July 2010, when Darinko Kosor, the leader of the Croatian Social Liberal Party, announced his party's decision to leave the governing coalition. This resulted in the party's two MPs,Ivan Čehokand Antun Korušec, resigning from the party on 14 July 2010, leaving HSLS with no members in Parliament for the first time in party's history.
In thenext electionin December 2011 HSLS ran in a coalition withDemocratic Party of Zagorje(DPZ), a smallregionalistparty from northern Croatia. The coalition won only 3% of the vote and failed to make the threshold for parliament. For the next election, in November 2015, HSLS was part of the wider conservative-right-wingPatriotic Coalitionled byHDZ,and managed to gain two seats in the8th Assembly,which meant that the party returned to parliament in December 2015, after a five-year absence.
In the next three elections (2016, 2020, 2024) HSLS have been part of coalitions led by the conservative HDZ party and have supported the governments of Prime MinistersTihomir OreškovićandAndrej Plenković,without having members in their cabinets. However, the party never regained its influence from the early 2000s, and since 2003 and their turn towards more conservative positions they have never had more than two MPs in the 151-seat Sabor.
After Croatia joined the European Union in 2013 HSLS also ran in all European Parliament elections either independently or as part of various coalitions, without winning a single MEP.
Ideology
editIn recent years by supportingIvo Sanader,HSLS moved fromsocial liberalismtoconservative liberalism.This was considered unpopular, and the party's decline in political influence resumed.[citation needed]
Ahead of2013 constitutional referendumfor defining marriage as being a union between a man and a woman, HSLS urged its members and supporters to vote against proposed change.[7]
Election results
editLegislative
editThe following is a summary of the party's results in legislative elections for theCroatian Parliament.The "Total votes" and "Percentage" columns include sums of votes won by pre-election coalitions HSLS had been part of. In elections where it became possible for the candidates of HSLS to receivepreferential votes,that statistic is added to the total votes column. The "Total seats" column includes sums of seats won by HSLS in election constituencies plus representatives of ethnic minorities affiliated with HSLS.
| Election | Coalition with | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coalition | HSLS | |||||
| 1990 | KNS | 439,372 | 15.30 | 2 / 356
|
New | Opposition |
| 1992 | None | 466,356 | 17.71 | 14 / 138
|
 0
|
Opposition |
| 1995 | None | 279,245 | 11.55 | 12 / 127
|
 2
|
Opposition |
| 2000 | SDP–PGS–SBHS | 1,138,318 | 38.70 | 25 / 151
|
 13
|
Coalition |
| 2003 | DC | 100,335 | 4.00 | 2 / 151
|
23
|
Opposition |
| 2007 | HSS–PGS | 161,814 | 6.50 | 2 / 153
|
0
|
Coalition |
| 2011 | ZDS | 71,077 | 3.00 | 0 / 151
|
2
|
Extra-parliamentary |
| 2015 | Patriotic Coalition | 771,070 | 33.46 | 2 / 151
|
2
|
External support |
| 2016 | HDZ–HDS–HRAST | 682,687 | 36.27 | 1 / 151
|
1
|
External support |
| 2020 | HDZ–HDS | 621,008 | 37.26 | 2 / 151
|
1
|
External support |
| 2024 | HDZ–HNS–HDS–HSU–BM 365–HGS | 729,949 | 34.42 | 2 / 151
|
0
|
Support |
European Parliament
edit| Election | List leader | Coalition | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coalition | HSLS | ||||||
| 2013 | Miroslav Rožić | HSS | 28,646 | 3.86 (#4) | 0 / 11
|
New | – |
| 2014 | Nikica Gabrić | NF–PGS–RI | 22,098 | 2.40 (#6) | 0 / 11
|
0
| |
| 2019 | Saša Poljanec-Borić | None | 5,876 | 0.55 (#16) | 0 / 12
|
0
| |
| 2024 | Valter Flego | Fair Play List 9[a] | 41,710 | 5.54 (#5) | 0 / 12
|
0
| |
Presidential
editThe following is a list of presidential candidates who were endorsed by HSLS in elections forPresident of Croatia.
| Election | Candidate | First round result | Second round result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Rank | Votes | Result | |||
| 1992(Aug) | Dražen Budiša(HSLS) | 22.3% | Runner-up | — | ||
| 1997(Jun) | Vlado Gotovac(HSLS) | 17.6% | Third | — | ||
| 2000(Jan–Feb) | Dražen Budiša(HSLS) | 27.8% | Runner-up | 44.0% | Lost | |
| 2005(Jan) | Đurđa Adlešič(HSLS) | 2.7% | Fourth | — | ||
| 2009–10(Dec–Jan) | Ivo Josipović(SDP) | 32.4% | First | 60.3% | Won | |
| 2014–15(Dec–Jan) | Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović(HDZ) | 37.2% | Runner-up | 50.7% | Won | |
| 2019–20(Dec–Jan) | Dejan Kovač (HSLS) | 0.9% | Ninth | — | ||
| 2024–25(Dec–Jan) | Dragan Primorac(Ind.) | 19.6% | Runner-up | 25.3% | Lost | |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^Butković, Davor (21 February 2009)."Kako smo osnivali HSLS (i je li umro)?".Jutarnji list(in Croatian). Archived fromthe originalon 4 April 2012.Retrieved30 July2012.
- ^"Izvješće o obavljenoj financijskoj reviziji - Hrvatska socijalno-liberalna stranka za 2022"(PDF).HSLS(in Croatian). State Audit Office. 13 November 2023.Retrieved21 December2023.
- ^Menz, Christian (2013).Explaining Croatia's (non)compliance with EU conditionality on ICTY cooperation.Anchor Academic Publishing. p. 37.ISBN978-3-95489-183-2.
- ^Ellington, Lucien (2004).Eastern Europe: An Introduction to the People, Land, and Culture.ABC-CLIO.p. 443.ISBN978-1-57607-800-6.
- ^Nordsieck, Wolfram (2020)."Croatia".Parties and Elections in Europe.
- ^"Povijest i program"(in Croatian). Croatian Social Liberal Party.Retrieved30 July2012.
- ^"HSLS-ovci na referendumu zaokružuju 'PROTIV'".Archived fromthe originalon 10 March 2016.Retrieved10 March2016.
External links
edit- Official website
(in Croatian)