Politics & Government Guide · CroatiaPolitics & Government Guide in Croatia
Political system, governance structure, stability indicators, and democratic institutions
Croatia is a parliamentary republic where executive power is shared between President Zoran Milanović (elected February 2025) and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who leads a government dominated by the center-right Croatian Democratic Union. The 151-seat unicameral parliament operates through proportional representation, with the HDZ holding 55 seats and maintaining coalition control. Political dynamics are characterized by tensions between the presidency and government, while the party system has evolved toward greater pluralism with increased fragmentation among opposition parties.
Democracy Index
Good
Government Type
Parliamentary Republic
Legal System
Civil law system based on the 1990 Constitution with provisions for protection of intellectual property rights and international relations
Head of State
President Zoran Milanović(since 2025)
Head of Government
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković(Croatian Democratic Union)since 2016
Political Indicators
Press Freedom
Scale: 0-100
Reporters Without Borders (2025)
Democracy Index
Scale: 0-10
Flawed Democracy
Economist Intelligence Unit (2024)
Legislature
Major Political Parties
Center-right
Center-left
Left-green
Right-wing nationalist
Center
Voting Rights
Croatian citizens have full voting rights in parliamentary and presidential elections. EU citizens residing in Croatia can vote in local and European Parliament elections. Parliament members are elected through closed-list proportional representation for 4-year terms.
Recent Developments
- Zoran Milanović won the presidential election on January 12, 2025, with 74.68% of the vote in the second round, the largest victory margin since Croatian independence
- Croatian Democratic Union secured a third consecutive term in April 2024 parliamentary elections with coalition support from the Homeland Movement
- Parliament approved the 2025 state budget with projected revenues of €33 billion and expenditures of €37 billion, anticipating 3.2% economic growth
- Government coordination in foreign, defense and security policy has been affected by personal tensions between Prime Minister Plenković and President Milanović
- Party system has gradually shifted from bipolar competition to more moderate pluralism since 2015, with increased fragmentation among opposition parties strengthening HDZ dominance
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