Info

Croatia

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Boundary Delimitation

BD001

Delimitation of constituencies

Question:	Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 39. Law on Electoral precincts.
Verified:	2002/08/23

BD003

Criteria for drawing boundaries

Question:	On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):	a. "Equality" of population d. Conformity with local jurisdiction boundaries
Comments:	d) By law and in order to define the electoral precincts, the areas of counties, cities and municipalities must be taken into account.
Source:	Electoral Code, article 39.
Verified:	2002/08/23

BD005

Body responsible for drawing boundaries

Question:	The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):	a. Legislature (1st chamber)
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 39.
Verified:	2002/08/23

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Electoral Systems

ES001

Head of State

Question:	How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):	c. Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, article 94.
Verified:	2002/08/23

ES002

Head of Government

Question:	How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:	c. Indirectly elected by legislature/chosen by parliament
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, article 109.
Verified:	2002/08/23

ES003

President

Question:	Does the country have a president?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, article 93.
Verified:	2002/08/23

ES004

Number of Chambers

Question:	The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:	a. One chamber
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, articles 70 and 71.
Verified:	2002/09/12

ES005

Electoral System (Chamber 1)

Question:	What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):	g. List Proportional Representation
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 40.
Verified:	2002/08/23

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Legislative Framework

LF001

Status of Electoral Law

Question:	What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
Answer(s):	a. Part of Constitution b. Separate legislation c. Decree d. Regulations or administrative rules
Comments:	c) The government is entitled to set the amount for reimbursement of costs for election campaign by special decision. d) State Electoral Body states obligatory instructions for functioning of election boards; designates polling places in Croatian diplomatic and consular representative bodies; prescribes forms in relation to the procedure of preparation and of management of elections.
Source:	Constitution. Electoral Code, articles 34 and 56. Rules of Procedure for the Croatian Radio and Television. Law on Political Parties.
Verified:	2002/08/23

LF003

Electoral Law covers

Question:	The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):	a. National elections
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 1.
Verified:	2002/08/23

LF004

Compulsory/voluntary voting

Question:	Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):	a. Voting is voluntary
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 3 (paragraph 4).
Verified:	2002/08/23

LF007

Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)

Question:	What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):	a. Judiciary b. EMB
Comments:	a) Constitutional Court.
Source:	Electoral Code, articles 96 to 102.
Verified:	2002/08/23

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Electoral Management

EM001

Please provide the following contact information for the national electoral management body:

Name of Institution: State Election Commission
Website Address: www.izbori.hr	

Source

No Source

Verified

2009/11/03

(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)

EM002

Responsibility of national EMB

Question:	Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):	a. National level b. Regional level c. Local level
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, articles 53 to 57.
Verified:	2002/08/23

EM004

EMB budget determined by

Question:	The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):	c. The legislature
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 95 (paragraph 1).
Verified:	2002/08/23

EM005

EMB expenditures controlled by

Question:	The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):	g. Other
Comments:	g) State election board will announce in public media the entire report on amount of election expenses and ways of implementation within 30 days from announcing official voting figures.
Source:	Electoral Code, article 95.
Verified:	2002/08/23

EM006

Term of EMB members

Question:	The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:	a. For the election period only
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, articles 53 to 55.
Verified:	2002/08/23

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Voter Education

VE001

Information campaigns performed by

Question:	Who conducts information campaigns for national elections (informing where, when and how to register and/or vote)?
Answer(s):	g. NGOs/ Civic Organizations i. Media
Comments:	GONG, the main Croatian non-governmental organisation dealing with election issues, provided voter education through various state owned media and by telephone help lines.
Source:	OSCE election observation report of the 2003 parliamentary elections; http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2004/01/1897_en.pdf
Verified:	2007/01/29

VE002

Frequency of voter education programs

Question:	At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:	b. Election time only
Comments:
Source:	OSCE election observation report of the 2003 parliamentary elections; http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2004/01/1897_en.pdf
Verified:	2007/01/29

VE003

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Voter Registration

VR001

Voting age

Question:	What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:	c. 18
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, article 45.
Verified:	2002/08/23

VR002

Other voting requirements

Question:	Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):	a. Citizenship
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, article 45.
Verified:	2002/08/23

VR004

Body responsible for voter registration

Question:	Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:	c. Local Government Authority
Comments:
Source:	Law on Election Registers
Verified:	2002/08/23

VR008

Compulsory voter registration

Question:	Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 82.
Verified:	2002/08/23

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Voting Operations

VO003

Electors vote at

Question:	Where can electors vote?
Answer(s):	a. At a specified polling station in the locality where they are registered at national elections c. At any polling station in the same country d. At specially designated polling stations e. At mobile polling stations
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, articles: 6, 7, 8 and 83 (paragraph 1).
Verified:	2002/08/23

VO004

Voting outside the country is permitted for

Question:	Who can vote from outside the country?
Answer(s):	b. Citizens residing outside the country
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, articles 8 and 44 (paragraph 1).
Verified:	2002/08/23

VO005

Locations for voting outside of the country

Question:	If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
Answer(s):	a. Embassies b. Consulates
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 6.
Verified:	2002/08/23

VO011

Voting method

Question:	How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):	a. Manually marking of ballots
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 76 (paragraph 2).
Verified:	2002/08/23

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Parties and Candidates

PC001

Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)

Question:	What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):	f. Other
Comments:	f) All political parties registered in the Republic of Croatia, on the day of proclamation of decision in the Official Gazette that the elections have been called, are entitled to propose their party lists for election of representatives to the House of Representatives.
Source:	Electoral Code, Article 20.
Verified:	2002/08/28

PC003

Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)

Question:	What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):	a. Age b. Citizenship
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 4 (paragraph 2).
Verified:	2002/08/23

PC008

Independent candidates

Question:	Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):	e. In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, articles 20 and 21.
Verified:	2002/08/23

PC012

Public funding of parties

Question:	Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):	b. Direct c. Indirect
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, articles: 29, 30 and 31 to 37. Law on Political Parties. Regulations on the Conduct of Croatian Radio-Television.
Verified:	2002/08/23

PC015

Basis of public funding

Question:	What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):	a. Equal funding, regardless of size and previous performance b. Based on result of previous election
Comments:	a) Media access. b) Financing of campaign.
Source:	Electoral Code, articles: 29, 30 and 31 to 37. Law on Political Parties. Regulations on the Conduct of Croatian Radio-Television.
Verified:	2002/08/23

PC017

Private funding of parties

Question:	Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2002/05/20

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Vote Counting

VC004

Voters are sorted/counted at

Question:	Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:	a. The polling stations
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code, article 84.
Verified:	2009/11/04

VC011

Conditions for recount

Question:	Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):	a. Never recounted
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Code
Verified:	2009/11/04

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Media and Elections

ME037

Parties receive free broadcast time based on

Question:	What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):	a. Equal regardless of size of party and previous performance
Comments:
Source:	The act on the right of access to information, Law on telecommunications
Verified:	2005/11/14

ME059

Existence of televised debates

Question:	Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):	b. Yes, in legislative elections
Comments:
Source:	Regulations for the coverage of the election campaign by Croatian radio-television, art. II, b, 1
Verified:	2007/02/15

ME062

Blackout period for opinion polls

Question:	What is the blackout period, if any, during which results of pre-election opinion polls may not be released to the public?
Answer:	a. 1 day
Comments:
Source:	Act on election of representatives to the Croatian Parliament, Art. 26.
Verified:	2005/11/14

ME080

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Direct Democracy

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD004

Optional referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD007

Recalls (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2005/11/14

DD129

Binding referenda

Question:	Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:	a. Always binding
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD130

National referenda deal with

Question:	Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:	c. Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22

DD131

Direct Democracy at sub-national level

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/22