1997 Croatian presidential election: Difference between revisions

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[[U.S. senator|U.S. Senator]] [[Paul Simon (politician)|Paul Simon]], special [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] coordinator for monitoring the elections, reported that "Croatia has experienced a free but not fair election. While candidates were able to speak freely, the process leading up to the election was fundamentally flawed. It did not meet the minimum standards for democracies. By contrast the election itself was - with some exceptions - conducted efficiently."<ref>[https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/croatia/15770?download=true STATEMENT OF SENATOR PAUL SIMON, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR MONITORING OF THE CROATIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS], JUNE 16, 1997</ref>
[[U.S. senator|U.S. Senator]] [[Paul Simon (politician)|Paul Simon]], special [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] coordinator for monitoring the elections, reported that "Croatia has experienced a free but not fair election. While candidates were able to speak freely, the process leading up to the election was fundamentally flawed. It did not meet the minimum standards for democracies. By contrast the election itself was - with some exceptions - conducted efficiently."<ref>[https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/croatia/15770?download=true STATEMENT OF SENATOR PAUL SIMON, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR MONITORING OF THE CROATIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS], JUNE 16, 1997</ref>


HDZ fell somewhat short of its 70% vote target,<ref name="cnn">{{Cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9706/16/croatia/index.html|title=CNN - Tudjman coasts to Croatian victory - June 16, 1997|website=edition.cnn.com|access-date=2020-01-08}}</ref> but still celebrated with fireworks. Tuđman took the oath of office for a second term on 5 August 1997 at [[St. Mark's Square, Zagreb|Saint Mark's Square]]. He chose the inauguration date to coincide with the anniversary of the military [[Operation Storm|operation "Storm"]] that ended the war in Croatia two years earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cultures-of-history.uni-jena.de/debates/croatia/a-storm-of-memory-in-post-war-croatia/|title=Cultures of History Forum : A Storm of Memory in Post-War Croatia|last=Banjeglav|first=Tamara|website=www.cultures-of-history.uni-jena.de|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}}</ref> However, he served only a little more than two years of his new 5-year term, as he died on 10 December 1999, resulting in [[2000 Croatian presidential election|early elections]] being called for January 2000. [[Vlatko Pavletić]] assumed the post of Acting President as the [[Speaker of the Croatian Parliament]].
HDZ fell somewhat short of its proclaimed 70% vote target,<ref name="cnn">{{Cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9706/16/croatia/index.html|title=CNN - Tudjman coasts to Croatian victory - June 16, 1997|website=edition.cnn.com|access-date=2020-01-08}}</ref> but still celebrated with fireworks and an open-air party in Zagreb. Tuđman took the oath of office for a second term on 5 August 1997 at [[St. Mark's Square, Zagreb|Saint Mark's Square]]. He chose the inauguration date to coincide with the anniversary of the military [[Operation Storm|operation "Storm"]] that ended the war in Croatia two years earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cultures-of-history.uni-jena.de/debates/croatia/a-storm-of-memory-in-post-war-croatia/|title=Cultures of History Forum : A Storm of Memory in Post-War Croatia|last=Banjeglav|first=Tamara|website=www.cultures-of-history.uni-jena.de|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}}</ref> However, he served only a little more than two years of his new 5-year term, as he died on 10 December 1999, resulting in [[2000 Croatian presidential election|early elections]] being called for January 2000. [[Vlatko Pavletić]] assumed the post of Acting President as the [[Speaker of the Croatian Parliament]].


SDP's result as runners-up, prevailing over HSLS, was important in establishing them as a leading opposition party and a senior partner in building the coalition that eventually won the [[2000 Croatian parliamentary election|2000 parliamentary elections]] and formed the first post-HDZ government. SDP showed further growth continuity in the polls and stabilized its vote share.
SDP's result as runners-up, prevailing over HSLS, was important in establishing them as a leading opposition party and a senior partner in building the coalition (August 1998) that eventually won the [[2000 Croatian parliamentary election|2000 parliamentary elections]] and formed the first post-HDZ government. SDP showed further growth continuity in the polls and stabilized its vote share. In 1998, SDP chairman [[Ivica Račan]] was far ahead of president Tudman in popularity polls.<ref name=bjelanovic>{{Cite book|title=Holding the Course. Annual survey of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union|last=Belanovic|first=Nebojsa|last2=Tatic|first2=Sava|editor-last=Rutland|editor-first=Peter|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|year=2000|isbn=9780765603609|location=New York|pages=194-204|chapter=Croatia - the rise of the opposition}}</ref>{{rp|195}} In 1998, HDZ could not form a majority in two counties ([[Primorje-Gorski Kotar County|Primorje-Gorski Kotar]] and [[Dubrovnik-Neretva County|Dubrovnik-Neretva]]) and was forced to call the elections, which were won by the united opposition.<ref name=zakosek>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.de/books?id=GYUjBgAAQBAJ&dq|title=Wahlen in postsozialistischen Staaten|last=Zakosek|first=Nenad|chapter=Wahlen in Kroatien 1990-200|editor-last=Ziemer|editor-first=Klaus|date=2013-07-02|publisher=Springer-Verlag|isbn=978-3-663-11796-4|pages=111-155|language=de}}</ref>{{rp|135}}


Gotovac was disappointed with his result and "lack of political centre in Croatia," warning against "bi-polarization" of Croatian politics. His 17% as a candidate of several largest opposition parties in Sabor showed their loss of credibility as an alternative.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aimpress.ch/dyn/pubs/archive/data/199706/70617-001-pubs-zag.htm|title=1997/06/17 20:48 POSTIZBORNO PRESLAGIVANJE KOCKICA|website=www.aimpress.ch|access-date=2020-01-13}}</ref> Much lower turnout than at previous elections in 1992 was seen by some as a sign of apathy and a loss of credibility in HSS, HSLS and HNS, whose councilors frequently crossed the floor after the elections, thus enabling HDZ to form the majority in several cities and counties.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aimpress.ch/dyn/pubs/archive/data/199706/70616-001-pubs-zag.htm|title=1997/06/16 23:38 APSTINENTI IZABRALI TUDjMANA|website=www.aimpress.ch|access-date=2020-01-13}}</ref> Gotovac's failure to beat Tomac was a trigger for a intra-party clash in HSLS. Budisa was elected party chairman, while Gotovac left the party, forming a splinter [[Liberal Party (Croatia)|Liberal Party]] in January 1998.
Gotovac was disappointed with his result and the "lack of a political centre in Croatia," warning against "bi-polarization" of Croatian politics. His 17% vote share as a candidate of several largest opposition parties in Sabor showed their loss of credibility as an alternative.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aimpress.ch/dyn/pubs/archive/data/199706/70617-001-pubs-zag.htm|title=1997/06/17 20:48 POSTIZBORNO PRESLAGIVANJE KOCKICA|website=www.aimpress.ch|last=Culic|first=Marinko|access-date=2020-01-13}}</ref> Much lower turnout than at previous elections in 1992 was seen by some as a sign of voter apathy and a loss of credibility in HSS, HSLS and HNS, whose councilors frequently [[crossed the floor]] after the elections, thus enabling HDZ to form the majority in several cities and counties despite their failure to achieve so at the ballot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aimpress.ch/dyn/pubs/archive/data/199706/70616-001-pubs-zag.htm|title=1997/06/16 23:38 APSTINENTI IZABRALI TUDjMANA|last=Marinkovic|first=Gojko|website=www.aimpress.ch|access-date=2020-01-13}}</ref> Gotovac's failure to beat Tomac was a trigger for a intra-party clash in HSLS, exposing the rift between more nationalist-friendly Budisa (who flirted with HDZ during local elections) and Gotovac. Budisa was elected party chairman, while Gotovac left the party, forming a splinter [[Liberal Party (Croatia)|Liberal Party]] in January 1998.{{r|bjelanovic|p=198}}


According to political scientist Trevor Waters, after the elections "support for Tudjman and the HDZ fell sharply amid widespread allegations of corruption, cronyism and nepotism, particularly with regard to the privatisation of state-owned assets."
According to political scientist Trevor Waters, after the elections "support for Tudjman and the HDZ fell sharply amid widespread allegations of corruption, cronyism and nepotism, particularly with regard to the privatisation of state-owned assets." Fractional in-fighting amongst HDZ became apparent as the united opposition started rising in the opinion polls.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 09:05, 14 January 2020

1997 Croatian presidential election
← 1992 15 June 1997 2000 →
Turnout54.62%
  File:Izbori 1997. u Hrvatskoj (cropped).JPG
Nominee Franjo Tuđman Zdravko Tomac Vlado Gotovac
Party HDZ SDP HSLS
Popular vote 1,337,990 458,172 382,630
Percentage 61.41% 21.03% 17.56%
President before election

Franjo Tuđman
HDZ

Elected President

Franjo Tuđman
HDZ

Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 15 June 1997.[1] They were the second presidential elections held since independence in 1991. The result was a victory for incumbent president Franjo Tuđman, the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union party (HDZ), who received 61.40% of the vote and was re-elected to a second five year term. As Tuđman received a majority of the valid votes cast on election day there was no need for a run-off. President Tuđman received a plurality of the votes in 20 of Croatia's 21 counties, while Vlado Gotovac did so in Istria County.

Voter turnout in the election was 54.62%, which was a large decline from the 74.9% turnout registered five years previous. Furthermore, about 459.000 fewer votes were cast in comparison to the previous election in 1992.[2] The elections also featured the smallest number of presidential candidates to date, with only three taking part: Franjo Tuđman, Zdravko Tomac and Vlado Gotovac. The margin of victory (over 40%) is also the largest in any election to date.

OSCE delegation observing the elections concluded that "the process leading up to the election was fundamentally flawed, and did not meet the minimum standards for a meaningful and democratic election in line with OSCE standards."[3]

Background

See also: Franjo Tudman § Post-war_policy

On February 22, the incumbent president Tudman was re-nominated by his party HDZ to seek a re-election bid.

In April, two months earlier, local elections and elections for the upper chamber of the parliament were held. Local elections showed weakening of HDZ position in urban centers.[4] The aftermath of Zagreb crisis and the protests against silencing Radio 101, an independent and critical media outlet, additionally led to a drop of government approval. It was also widely rumoured that 75-year-old president Tudman is suffering from cancer and his health was a major topic of speculation.[5][6]

Political parties in opposition to the ruling HDZ pondered agreeing on a single candidate to challenge Tudman. Scholar Ivan Supek was mentioned, but nothing came out of it. SDP and HNS toyed with the idea to jointly support HSLS candidate, poet and philosopher, MP Vlado Gotovac, but SDP ended up supporting Tomac's bid.[6] According to journalist Vlado Vurusic, SDP's Tomac chose to run knowing he stood little chance in order to legitimize the elections and build further visibility for the opposition.[7] Analysts believed that opposition's goal was to at least secure a run-off, preventing an absolute majority in the first round.[6]

Before the start of the official campaign, president Tudman's 75th birthday on May 14th was lavishly celebrated in Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, culminating with a three-hour play showing his presidency as a peak of Croatian national history. Croatian National Bank minted a commemorative coin, while Croatian Post issued a stamp celebrating his birthday. State television broadcast an extensive multi-part documentary about Tudjman's life as well. In a state-funded campaign, charity concert "All Croatian Victories for Vukovar" was promoted throughout the country with billboards and posters depicting the president.[3]

There were further concerns regarding access to polls. According to the OSCE, "as many as 300,000 lifelong (primarily ethnic Serb) residents who fled the country" during the 1991-5 war were disenfrenchised, facing severe political, legal and administrative hurdles preventing them from voting. On the other hand, approximately 330,000 Bosnian Croats were given the vote due to their Croatian citizenship.[3] Citizens living in the eastern Slavonia, formerly Serb rebel-held areas and under UN administration at the time, were to vote for the first time in national elections. They had already voted in local elections in April.

Candidates

Candidate Party affiliation Political remarks
width=5px style="background:Template:Croatian Democratic Union/meta/color;" | Franjo Tudman Croatian Democratic Union Incumbent President of Croatia since 1990. Tudman won the presidential elections in 1992 and was standing a re-election bid for another term in the office. He was re-nominated by his party HDZ on February 22. At the time he was also party chairman. Tudman ran on a centre-right platform of continuity.
width=5px style="background:Template:Croatian Social Liberal Party/meta/color;" | Vlado Gotovac Croatian Social Liberal Party A member of Sabor, writer, philosopher and a poet, Gotovac was HSLS party chairman at the time. Endorsed by HNS, HSS, IDS, and SDA-Croatia. Dražen Budiša, HSLS chairman hopeful and his opponent, did not publicly support him. Gotovac campaigned on improving civil liberties, depoliticizing state affairs, strengthening local self-government, alleviation of poverty, and reducing then-hefty presidential powers.[8]
width=5px style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Croatia/meta/color;" | Zdravko Tomac Social Democratic Party Candidate of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP). Former Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia (1991). Tomac campaigned on social justice issues and income inequality topics, pledging to continue with his humble lifestyle if elected president. He pointed out Olof Palme as his role model.

Campaign

On May 30th, Statehood Day, a military parade was organized along Jarun lake in Zagreb, prominently featuring Tudman as the commander-in-chief. HDZ campaign committe published an election manifesto in all daily newspapers including a list of 800 public personas and celebrities officially supporting Tudman's re-election bid. However, several of the listed were under-age, while a number of artists and celebrities listed afterwards issued a public rebuttal, stating that they were never consulted on the matter. The list included public broadcaster director as well.[9]

On June 8th, president Tudjman visited Vukovar and eastern Slavonia for the second time. The area was previously occupied by rebel ethnic Serb authorities and was under the transitional authority of United Nations' administration at the time. Peaceful local elections took place throughout the region in April and gradual reintegration in Croatia was going according to plan and scheduled to be completed in 1998. Now, however, Tudjman visited Vukovar in a 21-car railway composition dubbed "The Peace Train," bringing many politicians, dignitaries and celebrities with him and stopping for whistle-stop rallies on his way from Zagreb. Holding a conciliatory speech in Vukovar, Tudman fostered responsibility, cooperation and reconciliation between Croats and ethnic Serbs. All of these events were given significant coverage by state-owned media, which virtually avoided any display of (or news on) other candidates and opposition's activities, campaign, etc.[3]

Tudman believed not to be on par with the other two candidates, thus dismissing interviews and press statements as unnecessary and unworthy of his position. (he did give a pre-arranged interview, broadcast on public TV). As a consequence, his deputy head of staff, Vesna Škare-Ožbolt, answered many questions in his name without Tudman's knowledge.[10] No debates were held.

Access to marketing and campaign funding was severely unequal; Tudman's ads on TV ran for more than 2,000 seconds during the last week of the campaign, while Gotovac and Tomac combined had a total of 101 seconds.[3] Gotovac and Tomac's posters and billboards were virtually absent from sight.[3] Furthermore, Tomac's campaign van was stoned near Zadar.[11]

Pula incident

External videos
video icon HRT's footage of assault on Gotovac in Pula, Twitter video

On June 5th, opposition candidate, Vlado Gotovac from HSLS, was physically attacked during his rally in Pula by Croatian Army captain Tomislav Brzović of the elite 1st Guards Corps, who wore dress uniform.[12] The attacker hit him in the head with his belt, shouting "I am an ustasha, long live Ante Pavelić!", later threatening to kill everyone present.[13] Gotovac was hospitalised for four days. Having to suspend his activities for further 10 days, the opposition jointly unsuccessfully petitioned the electoral commission to suspend the campaign altogether until Gotovac recovers. Captain Brzovic was suspended for several months from active duty and received a conditional sentence, but was not ultimately discharged and resumed his commissioned duties.

Results

Tomac and Gotovac fared better in cities, with Gotovac coming second in Split (32%-21%) and narrowly third in Rijeka.

Candidate Party Votes %
Franjo Tuđman Croatian Democratic Union 1,337,990 61.41
Zdravko Tomac Social Democratic Party of Croatia 458,172 21.03
Vlado Gotovac Croatian Social Liberal Party 382,630 17.56
Invalid/blank votes 39,656 –
Total 2,218,448 100
Registered voters 4,061,479 54.62
Source: Nohlen & Stöver; Official results[14]

Out of 377,705 citizens living abroad eligible to vote, 88,728 (23.5%) eventually did so, predominantly in Bosnia and Herzegovina (48 thousand out of 140,742 eligible to vote) and Germany (23 thousand). In total, 81,107 (91.4%) voted for Tudman, 2,676 for Tomac, and 4,463 for Gotovac.[15]

Maps

  • Results in all of Croatia's counties: the candidate with the majority of votes in each administrative division.  Franjo Tuđman   Zdravko Tomac   Vlado Gotovac
    Results in all of Croatia's counties: the candidate with the majority of votes in each administrative division.  Franjo Tuđman   Zdravko Tomac   Vlado Gotovac
  • Results of the election based on the majority of votes in each municipality of Croatia
    Results of the election based on the majority of votes in each municipality of Croatia

Aftermath

U.S. Senator Paul Simon, special OSCE coordinator for monitoring the elections, reported that "Croatia has experienced a free but not fair election. While candidates were able to speak freely, the process leading up to the election was fundamentally flawed. It did not meet the minimum standards for democracies. By contrast the election itself was - with some exceptions - conducted efficiently."[16]

HDZ fell somewhat short of its proclaimed 70% vote target,[5] but still celebrated with fireworks and an open-air party in Zagreb. Tuđman took the oath of office for a second term on 5 August 1997 at Saint Mark's Square. He chose the inauguration date to coincide with the anniversary of the military operation "Storm" that ended the war in Croatia two years earlier.[17] However, he served only a little more than two years of his new 5-year term, as he died on 10 December 1999, resulting in early elections being called for January 2000. Vlatko Pavletić assumed the post of Acting President as the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament.

SDP's result as runners-up, prevailing over HSLS, was important in establishing them as a leading opposition party and a senior partner in building the coalition (August 1998) that eventually won the 2000 parliamentary elections and formed the first post-HDZ government. SDP showed further growth continuity in the polls and stabilized its vote share. In 1998, SDP chairman Ivica Račan was far ahead of president Tudman in popularity polls.[18]: 195  In 1998, HDZ could not form a majority in two counties (Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Dubrovnik-Neretva) and was forced to call the elections, which were won by the united opposition.[19]: 135 

Gotovac was disappointed with his result and the "lack of a political centre in Croatia," warning against "bi-polarization" of Croatian politics. His 17% vote share as a candidate of several largest opposition parties in Sabor showed their loss of credibility as an alternative.[20] Much lower turnout than at previous elections in 1992 was seen by some as a sign of voter apathy and a loss of credibility in HSS, HSLS and HNS, whose councilors frequently crossed the floor after the elections, thus enabling HDZ to form the majority in several cities and counties despite their failure to achieve so at the ballot.[21] Gotovac's failure to beat Tomac was a trigger for a intra-party clash in HSLS, exposing the rift between more nationalist-friendly Budisa (who flirted with HDZ during local elections) and Gotovac. Budisa was elected party chairman, while Gotovac left the party, forming a splinter Liberal Party in January 1998.[18]: 198 

According to political scientist Trevor Waters, after the elections "support for Tudjman and the HDZ fell sharply amid widespread allegations of corruption, cronyism and nepotism, particularly with regard to the privatisation of state-owned assets." Fractional in-fighting amongst HDZ became apparent as the united opposition started rising in the opinion polls.

References

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p410 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p419
  3. ^ a b c d e f STATEMENT: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA , OSCE, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Observation Delegation to the 1997 Croatian Presidential Elections, June 15th, 1997
  4. ^ Jeffries, Ian. The Former Yugoslavia at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: A Guide to the Economies in Transition. 1 edition, Routledge, 2002.
  5. ^ a b "CNN - Tudjman coasts to Croatian victory - June 16, 1997". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  6. ^ a b c Marinkovic, Gojko. "1997/05/14 23:06 POSLIJE TUDjMANA TUDjMAN". www.aimpress.ch. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  7. ^ "IN MEMORIAM Zdravko Tomac najbolji je simbol tragike i turbulencija u hrvatskom društvu - Jutarnji List". www.jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  8. ^ "1997/06/01 20:36 IZBORI RADI IZBORA TUDjMANA". www.aimpress.ch. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  9. ^ "1997/06/01 01:05 TUDjMANOV POCASNI KRUG". www.aimpress.ch. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  10. ^ "Vesna Škare-Ožbolt: Davala sam intervjue umjesto Franje Tuđmana - Vesna Škare Ožbolt". www.vesna.com.hr. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  11. ^ "1997/06/10 21:30 KAMEN - REMEN - VLAK". www.aimpress.ch. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  12. ^ Hedges, Chris (1997-06-07). "Stoically, a Rival Tilts at Croatia's Leader". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  13. ^ "Prije točno 21 godinu hrvatski vojnik je divljački napao Vladu Gotovca". www.index.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  14. ^ "Izbor Predsjednika Republike Hrvatske" [Election of the Croatian President] (PDF) (in Croatian). Croatian State Election Committee. 24 June 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-22. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  15. ^ https://www.izbori.hr/arhiva-izbora/data/predsjednik/1997/rezultati/1997_4_3_Rezultati_Predsjednik_inozemstvo.pdf
  16. ^ STATEMENT OF SENATOR PAUL SIMON, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR MONITORING OF THE CROATIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, JUNE 16, 1997
  17. ^ Banjeglav, Tamara. "Cultures of History Forum : A Storm of Memory in Post-War Croatia". www.cultures-of-history.uni-jena.de. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  18. ^ a b Belanovic, Nebojsa; Tatic, Sava (2000). "Croatia - the rise of the opposition". In Rutland, Peter (ed.). Holding the Course. Annual survey of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. New York: M.E. Sharpe. pp. 194–204. ISBN 9780765603609.
  19. ^ Zakosek, Nenad (2013-07-02). "Wahlen in Kroatien 1990-200". In Ziemer, Klaus (ed.). Wahlen in postsozialistischen Staaten (in German). Springer-Verlag. pp. 111–155. ISBN 978-3-663-11796-4.
  20. ^ Culic, Marinko. "1997/06/17 20:48 POSTIZBORNO PRESLAGIVANJE KOCKICA". www.aimpress.ch. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  21. ^ Marinkovic, Gojko. "1997/06/16 23:38 APSTINENTI IZABRALI TUDjMANA". www.aimpress.ch. Retrieved 2020-01-13.

External links

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