Milanović Decides: Parliamentary Elections on Wednesday, April 17

Elections for the new, 11th term of the Croatian Parliament will be held on Wednesday, April 17, decided on Friday by President of the Republic Zoran Milanović, who also decided that the elections for members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Croatia will be held on Sunday, June 9.

Elections at polling stations in Croatia will be held on Wednesday, April 17, and abroad, in Croatian diplomatic and consular missions, on Tuesday, April 16, and Wednesday, April 17, according to the president’s decision on calling elections for representatives of the 11th term of the Parliament since independence.

The decision takes effect today, which means that from tomorrow, the election deadlines begin to run, including a 14-day deadline in which political parties, independent lists, and candidates must submit their lists to the State Election Commission (DIP). The DIP then has 48 hours to publish the aggregate list of valid lists and candidacies, marking the start of the official election campaign.

In a statement from the President’s Office, it is noted that, according to the Law on Elections of Representatives to the Croatian Parliament, Article 5, Paragraph 3, the day of the election is a non-working day.

151 Representatives are Elected to the Parliament

Voters will elect 151 representatives, 140 of whom in ten electoral districts in Croatia, three in the diaspora elected by Croatian citizens residing abroad, and eight representatives of national minorities in the 12th electoral district, which comprises the entire country.

Croatian citizens who are at least 18 years old can vote and run for representatives. To be potentially elected, the names of candidates must be on lists that can be proposed by registered political parties or coalitions and voters, in which case they are independent or lists of groups of voters.

Such lists, to be valid, must collect at least 500 signatures from voters in the electoral district in which they compete. Political parties, in this regard, have an advantage as they do not have to collect signatures.

Voters can also use a preferential vote, meaning they can circle the name of the candidate they prefer on the list, allowing them to ‘jump over’ candidates that the proposers placed ahead of them.

Milanović’s decision came a day after the 10th term of the Parliament was dissolved.

Elections for the European Parliament on Sunday, June 9

The President also made a decision today to call elections for members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Croatia, and the elections at polling stations in Croatia and at the headquarters of diplomatic and consular missions will be held on Sunday, June 9.

The decision to call elections for members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Croatia takes effect on Tuesday, April 9.