List of political parties in Croatia

Croatia maintains a variety of political parties, some of which date back as far as 1841. Since 1989, Croatia has a multi-party system with numerous parties that must collaborate to form coalition governments.

There are a total of 160 active political parties in Croatia as of November 3, 2024. Since political parties were officially legalized in Croatia in 1990, a total of 409 have been registered to date, out of which 249 have been discontinued.[1][2] The legal position, conditions, method and procedure for the establishment, registration and termination of political parties are determined by the Political Parties Act.[3][4]

Modern parties

Political parties with elected representation at the national level

Name Abbr. Leader Ideology Sabor MEPs Political
position
European
Croatian Democratic Union
Hrvatska demokratska zajednica
HDZ Andrej Plenković
57 / 151
6 / 12
Centre-right EPP
Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Socijaldemokratska partija Hrvatske
SDP Siniša Hajdaš Dončić Social democracy
36 / 151
4 / 12
Centre-left PES
We Can! – Political Platform
Možemo! – politička platforma
Možemo!
  • Sandra Benčić
  • Tomislav Tomašević
10 / 151
1 / 12
Centre-left
to Left-wing
EGP
Homeland Movement
Domovinski pokret
DP Ivan Penava
8 / 151
0 / 12
Right-wing
to far-right
N/a
The Bridge
Most
Most Božo Petrov
7 / 151
0 / 12
Right-wing ECR
Home and National Rally
Dom i nacionalno okupljanje
DOMiNO Mario Radić
3 / 151
1 / 12
Right-wing ECR
Independent Democratic Serb Party
Samostalna demokratska srpska stranka
Самостална демократска српска странка
SDSS
СДСС
Milorad Pupovac
3 / 151
0 / 12
Centre-left N/a
Centre
Centar
Centar Ivica Puljak
2 / 151
0 / 12
Centre ALDE
Istrian Democratic Assembly
Istarski demokratski sabor
Dieta democratica istriana
IDS
DDI
Loris Peršurić
2 / 151
0 / 12
Centre to
centre-left
ALDE
Croatian Social Liberal Party
Hrvatska socijalno-liberalna stranka
HSLS Dario Hrebak
2 / 151
0 / 12
Centre to
centre-right
ALDE
Independent Platform of the North
Nezavisna platforma Sjever
NPS Matija Posavec Regionalism
2 / 151
0 / 12
Centre N/a
Croatian Sovereignists
Hrvatski suverenisti
HS Marijan Pavliček
1 / 151
0 / 12
Right-wing ECR
Croatian Peasant Party
Hrvatska seljačka stranka
HSS Darko Vuletić
1 / 151
0 / 12
Centre to
centre-right
N/a
Croatian Demochristian Party
Hrvatska demokršćanska stranka
HDS Goran Dodig
1 / 151
0 / 12
Centre-right
to right-wing
EPP
Dalija Orešković and People with a First and Last Name
Dalija Orešković i ljudi s imenom i prezimenom
DO i SIP Dalija Orešković
1 / 151
0 / 12
Centre to
centre-left
N/a
Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats
Hrvatska narodna stranka – Liberalni demokrati
HNS Krunoslav Lukačić Social liberalism
1 / 151
0 / 12
Centre to
centre-left
ALDE
Civic Liberal Alliance
Građansko-liberalni savez
GLAS Stanko Borić
1 / 151
0 / 12
Centre to
centre-left
ALDE
Croatian Party of Pensioners
Hrvatska stranka umirovljenika
HSU Veselko Gabričević
1 / 151
0 / 12
Centre-left N/a
Law and Justice
Pravo i pravda
PiP Mislav Kolakušić
1 / 151
0 / 12
Right-wing N/a

Political parties with previously elected representation at a national level

Name Abbr. Leader Ideology Political
position
European Elected representatives Note
Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Primorsko-goranski savez
PGS Darijo Vasilić Centre N/a
Active only in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
Bloc for Croatia
Blok za Hrvatsku
BLOK Zlatko Hasanbegović Right-wing
to far-right
N/a 2020 (1 seat)
Bandić Milan 365 – Labour and Solidarity Party
Bandić Milan 365 – Stranka rada i solidarnosti
BM 365 Slavko Kojić Populism Big tent N/a
In bankruptcy
Croatian Civic Party
Hrvatska građanska stranka
HGS Željko Kerum Right-wing populism Right-wing N/a 2011 (2 seats) Active only in Split-Dalmatia County
Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja
Hrvatski demokratski savez Slavonije i Baranje
HDSSB Branimir Glavaš Centre-right N/a
Active only in the region of Slavonija
Croatian Labourists – Labour Party
Hrvatski laburisti – Stranka rada
Laburisti David Bregovac Centre-left N/a
Croatian Party of Rights
Hrvatska stranka prava
HSP Marina Logarušić Far-right N/a
  • 1992 (5 seats)
  • 1995/2000 (4 seats)
  • 2003 (8 seats)
  • 2007 (1 seat)
Claims legacy to the Party of Rights
Democrats
Demokrati
Ivan Lukež Centre-left N/a 2018 (1 seat)[a]
Focus
Fokus
Gabrijel Deak Liberalism Centre to
centre-right
ALDE Party
  • 2020 (1 seat)
  • 2024 (1 seat)
Green Alternative – Sustainable Development of Croatia
Zelena alternativa - Održivi razvoj Hrvatske
ORaH Zorislav Antun Petrović Centre-left EGP (associate)
  • 2014 EP (1 seat)
  • 2013 (1 seat)[b]
Independent Youth List
Nezavisna lista mladih
NLM Petar Maretić Youth politics Centre-right N/a 2016 (1 seat)
New Left
Nova ljevica
NL Ivana Kekin Centre-left
to left-wing
N/a 2020 (1 seat) Merging into Možemo!
People's Party – Reformists
Narodna stranka – Reformisti
Reformisti Radimir Čačić Centre EDP
Social Democrats
Socijaldemokrati
Davorko Vidović Centre-left N/a 2022[c]
Workers' Front
Radnička fronta
RF Collective leadership Left-wing
to far-left
PEL 2020 (1 seat)
  • † Croatian Christian Democratic Union (Hrvatska kršćanska demokratska unija or HKDU) – won 1 seat in 1995, 1 seat in 2000
  • Croatian Democratic Peasant Party (Hrvatska demokratska seljačka stranka or HDSS) – won 1 seat in 2003
  • Croatian Growth (Hrvatski rast or Hrast) – active from 2012 to 2021
  • † Croatian Independent Democrats (Hrvatski nezavisni demokrati or HND) – active from 1994 to 2011; won 1 seat in 1995
  • Croatian Party of Rights — Dr. Ante Starčević (Hrvatska stranka prava dr. Ante Starčević or HSP AS) – won 1 seat in 2011; 3 seats in 2015
  • † Dalmatian Action (Dalmatinska akcija or DA) – active from 1990 to 2003; won 1 seat in 1992
  • Democratic Centre (Demokratski centar or DC) – active from 2000 to 2016; won 1 seat in 2003
  • Liberal Party (Liberalna stranka or LS) – active from 1998 to 2006; won 2 seats in 2000 and 2003
  • † Party of Croatian Intergenerational Solidarity (Stranka međugeneracijske solidarnosti Hrvatske or SMSH) – active from 2016 to 2017; had 1 seat in 2016 (merged into BM 365)
  • † Party of Liberal Democrats (Stranka liberalnih demokrata or LIBRA) – active from 2002 to 2005; won 3 seats in 2003
  • † Serb People's Party (Srpska narodna stranka/Српска народна странка or SNS/CHC) – won 3 seats in 1992; 2 seats in 1995; 1 seat in 2000
  • † Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party (Slavonsko-baranjska hrvatska stranka or S-BHS) – active from 1992 to 2008, won 1 seat in 1995; 1 seat in 2000
  • † Social Democratic Action of Croatia (Akcija socijaldemokrata Hrvatske or ASH) – active between 1994 and 2016; won 1 seat in 1995
  • The Key of Croatia (Ključ Hrvatske) – active between 2011 and 2024; won 1 seat in 2015; 8 seats in 2016 (merged into Law and Justice)

Other parties

  • Alternative for Croatia (Alternativa za Hrvatsku or AZH)[5][6]
  • Autochthonous Croatian Party of Rights (Autohtona-Hrvatska stranka prava or A-HSP)
  • Bloc Pensioners Together (Blok umirovljenici zajedno or BUZ)
  • Charter for Rijeka or List for Rijeka (Lista za Rijeku/Lista per Fiume; RI or LZR)
  • † Croatian Bloc (Hrvatski blok or HB) – active 2002–2009
  • † Croatian Conservative Party (Hrvatska konzervativna stranka or HKS) – active 2014–2021
  • Croatian Party of Rights 1861 (Hrvatska stranka prava 1861 or HSP 1861)
  • † Croatian Pure Party of Rights (Hrvatska čista stranka prava or HČSP)
  • † Croatian Republican Union (Hrvatska republikanska zajednica or HRZ)
  • † Croatian Workers Party (Hrvatska radnička stranka or HRS)
  • Democratic Alliance of Serbs (Demokratski savez Srba/Демократски caвeз Cpбa or DSS/ДСC)
  • Democratic HSS (Demokratski HSS or DHSS)
  • Democratic Party of Zagorje (Zagorska demokratska stranka or ZDS)
  • Determination and Justice (Odlučnost i pravednost or OiP)
  • For the City (Za grad or ZG)
  • Green Alliance – Greens (Zeleni savez – Zeleni)
  • † Istrian Social Democratic Forum (Istarski socijaldemokratski forum or ISDF)
  • † Left of Croatia (Ljevica Hrvatske)
  • LiPO (Lika, primorje i otoci)
  • Međimurje Party (Međimurska stranka)
  • † Only Croatia – Movement for Croatia (Jedino Hrvatska – Pokret za Hrvatsku)
  • † Party of Danube Serbs (Partija podunavskih Srba/Партија подунавских Срба or PPS/ППС)
  • Party of Ivan Pernar (Stranka Ivana Pernara or SIP)
  • † Pirate Party (Piratska stranka)
  • Republic (Republika)
  • Serb Democratic Party (Srpska demokratska stranka/Српска демократска cтранка or SDS/СДС)
  • Socialist Labour Party of Croatia (Socijalistička radnička partija Hrvatske or SRP)
  • † The Split Party (Splitska stranka)
  • † Women's Democratic Party (Demokratska stranka žena or DSŽ)
  • Youth Action (Akcija mladih or AM)
  • Zagorje Party (Zagorska stranka or ZS)

Historical parties

  • Illyrian Party/People's Party (Ilirska stranka/Narodna stranka, 1841–1861)
  • People's Liberal Party/Independent People's Party (Narodno-liberalna stranka/Neodvisna narodna stranka, 1861–1903)
  • Croatian-Hungarian Party (Hrvatsko-ugarska stranka, 1841–1861)
  • Unionist Party/People's Constitutional Party (Unionistička stranka/Narodno-ustavna stranka, 1861–1873)
  • Party of Rights/Croatian Party of Rights (Stranka prava/Hrvatska stranka prava, 1861–1910)
  • Pure Party of Rights/Croatian Pure Party of Rights (Čista stranka prava/Hrvatska čista stranka prava, 1895–1918)
  • Starčević's Party of Rights (Starčevićeva stranka prava, 1908–1911–1918)
  • Croatian People's Progressive Party (Napredna stranka/Hrvatska pučka napredna stranka, 1904–1910)
  • Progressive Democratic Party (Napredna demokratska stranka, 1918–1919)
  • Serb Independent Party/Serb People's Independent Party (Srpska samostalna stranka/Srpska narodna samostalna stranka, 1881–1918)
  • Serb People's Radical Party (Srpska narodna radikalna stranka, 1903–1918)
  • Croatian Independent Party (Hrvatska samostalna stranka, 1910–1918)
  • Social Democratic Party of Croatia and Slavonia (Socijaldemokratska stranka Hrvatske i Slavonije, 1894–1918)
  • Croat-Serb Coalition (Hrvatsko-srpska koalicija, 1905–1918)
  • Autonomist Party (Dalmatia) (Autonomna stranka, 1860–1918)
  • People's Party/People's Croatian Party or Croatian National Party (Dalmatia) (Narodna stranka/Narodna hrvatska stranka, 1861–1905)
  • Serbian Party or Serb People's Party (Dalmatia) (Srpska stranka/Srpska narodna stranka, 1879–1918)
  • Croatian Party (Dalmatia) (Hrvatska stranka, 1905–1918)
  • Democratic Party (Dalmatia) (Demokratska stranka, 1904–1906)
  • Croat-Slovene People's Party (Istria) (Hrvatsko-slovenska narodna stranka, 1878–1918)
  • Croatian Popular Party (Hrvatska pučka stranka, 1919–1929)
  • Croatian Union (Hrvatska zajednica, 1919–1926)
  • Communist Party of Croatia/League of Communists of Croatia (Komunistička partija Hrvatske/Savez komunista Hrvatske, 1937–1990)

Note: The Croatian adjective "narodni/a/o" could be translated as "people's" and/or "national", similar adjective "pučki/a/o" signifies "popular" or "people's" (but not "national").

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Mirando Mrsić was elected as member of SDP but joined Democrats mid-term in 2018
  2. ^ Mirela Holy was elected as member of SDP but joined ORaH mid-term in 2018
  3. ^ Held 11 seats beween 2022 and 2024 after split from SDP

References

  1. ^ "Register of political parties in the Republic of Croatia". gov.hr. Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  2. ^ Šime Dunatov (December 2010). "Začetci višestranačja u Hrvatskoj 1989. godine" [The Origins of the Multi-Party System in Croatia in 1989]. Radovi Zavoda za povijesne znanosti HAZU u Zadru (in Croatian) (52). Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts: 381–397. ISSN 1330-0474. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Political Parties Act". sabor.hr. Croatian Parliament. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Popis političkih stranaka u Hrvatskoj" [List of political parties in Croatia]. RTL.hr (in Croatian). 9 January 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Statut političke stranke Alternativa za Hrvatsku". narodne-novine.nn.hr. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  6. ^ Vrabac, Ivan. "Alternativa za Hrvatsku". azhr.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2025-08-13.