The
Socialist Republic of Croatia
The Socialist Republic of Croatia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Hrvatska, Социјалистичка Република Хрватска), or SR Croatia, was a constituent republic and federated state of the Socia ...
, one of the constituent countries of the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
had gone through a number of phases in its political life, during which its major political characteristics changed - its name, its top level leadership and ultimately its political organization.
During this time the main officers of state were the head of state, which was often a nominal role only, the head of government, and the head of the ruling political party, the
Croatian Communist Party
League of Communists of Croatia ( sh, Savez komunista Hrvatske or SKH) was the Croatian branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ). It came into power in 1945. Until 1952, it was known as Communist Party of Croatia (''Komunistička ...
, a branch of the
Communist Party of Yugoslavia, both of which had also changed names during this period.
The heads of government used the title President of the Executive Council, all from the ranks of the Communist Party, which was reformed and renamed into the League of Communists in 1952, both at the federal and at the republic level.
The heads of the communist party held the title of the
Secretary of the League of Communists of Croatia
The Secretary of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Croatia ( sh, Sekretar Centralnog komiteta Saveza komunista Hrvatske) was the head of the League of Communists of Croatia, heading the Central Committee of the Party. The holder ...
, later President thereof, and together with the President of the Executive Council, this remained the central post of Croatian politics at the time, in spite of the institution of a collective Presidency in 1974. The mostly-nominal function of the head of state had at times belonged to the
Speaker of the Croatian Parliament
The speaker of the Croatian Parliament ( hr, Predsjednik Hrvatskog sabora, literally the president of the Croatian Parliament) is the presiding officer in the Croatian Parliament, Croatia's legislative body.
Under Article 97 of the constituti ...
, the ''
Sabor
The Croatian Parliament ( hr, Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sabo ...
''.
Executive
Federal State of Croatia (1943–1945)
![Vladimir Nazor 1976 Yugoslavia stamp](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Vladimir_Nazor_1976_Yugoslavia_stamp.jpg)
The initial incarnation of the political organization of Croatia came about during
World War II in Yugoslavia
World War II in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia began on 6 April 1941, when the country was swiftly conquered by Axis forces and partitioned between Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and their client regimes. Shortly after Germany attacked the US ...
. The
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia ( sh, Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH; german: Unabhängiger Staat Kroatien; it, Stato indipendente di Croazia) was a World War II-era puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. It was established in p ...
(NDH), installed by the Axis powers after the
invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941 was not recognized by the entirety of the Croatian public, notably the
Communist Party of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia ( sh, Savez komunista Hrvatske or SKH) was the Croatian branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ). It came into power in 1945. Until 1952, it was known as Communist Party of Croatia (''Komunistička ...
and parts of the
Croatian Peasant Party during World War II, which would engage in the armed resistance against this fascist puppet state. By 1943, they had taken control of a significant portion of Croatian territory and were able to engage in more conventional political organization.
The first top-level political official of the country at the time was the President of the
.
Vladimir Nazor
Vladimir Nazor (30 May 1876 – 19 June 1949) was a Croatian poet and politician. During and after World War II in Yugoslavia, he served as the first President of the Presidium of the Croatian Parliament (Croatian head of state), and first Sp ...
(1876–1949) held this title between 13 June 1943 and 21 August 1945. He was an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
member of the
Unitary National Liberation Front
The Unitary National Liberation Front ( sh, Jedinstveni narodnooslobodilački front, JNOF) or simply the National Liberation Front (sometimes referred to as the People's Liberation Front), was a World War II political organization and Anti-fascis ...
, i.e. the
National Front. His position was formally the
Speaker of the State Anti-fascist Council for the National Liberation of Croatia, as the Council (ZAVNOH) served as the country's war-time assembly.
Andrija Hebrang was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Croatia between 1942 and October 1944.
Vladimir Bakarić was the General Secretary after 1944, and the President of Government since 14 April 1945, a position equated to modern-day prime minister.
People's Republic of Croatia (1946–1963)
After WWII, Nazor served as head of state as the first President of the Presidency of the Parliament, between 26 February 1946 and 19 June 1949 (he died in office). This position would exist until 1953, and other people who were named the President of the Presidency of the Parliament of the People's Republic of Croatia were:
![Karlo Mrazović](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Karlo_Mrazovi%C4%87.jpg)
*
Karlo Mrazović
Karlo may refer to:
* Karlo (name)
* Karlo Island, of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
* Karlö, the Swedish name of Hailuoto, Finland
See also
*Carlo (disambiguation)
*Karlos (disambiguation)
*Karly Karly is an English ...
(1902–1987), served between 15 October 1949 and 1952, member of the
Communist Party of Yugoslavia
![Vicko Krstulovic (crop)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Vicko_Krstulovic_%28crop%29.jpg)
*
Vicko Krstulović
Vicko Krstulović (27 April 1905 – 28 September 1988) was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary, the most prominent Yugoslav Partisans, Partisan military commander from Dalmatia during World War II, and a post-war communist politician ...
(1905–1988), served between February 1952 and 6 February 1953, member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, which itself was renamed to
League of Communists of Yugoslavia in 1952
Bakarić remained the head of government, including after the office was renamed to President of the Executive Council (''Predsjednik Izvršnog vijeća''), and he was the President of the
1st Executive Council of the People's Republic of Croatia between 1952 and 18 December 1953, and he remained the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Croatia throughout the period, including the rename of the party to the League of Communists of Croatia in 1952.
In 1953, the role of the President of the Presidency of the Parliament was replaced with the role of the
Speaker of the Croatian Parliament
The speaker of the Croatian Parliament ( hr, Predsjednik Hrvatskog sabora, literally the president of the Croatian Parliament) is the presiding officer in the Croatian Parliament, Croatia's legislative body.
Under Article 97 of the constituti ...
(Sabor). The Speakers until 1963 were all members of the
League of Communists of Yugoslavia and they included:
*
Zlatan Sremec (1898–1971), served as Speaker since 1946, but in this merged capacity from 6 February 1953 to December 1953
![Vladimir Bakarić (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Vladimir_Bakari%C4%87_%281%29.jpg)
*
Vladimir Bakarić (1912–1983), served as Speaker between December 1953 and December 1963. Bakarić had the longest term to date as
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
n head of state.
Jakov Blažević
Jakov Blažević (24 March 1912 – 10 December 1996) was a Croatian politician who served as president of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, People's Republic of Croatia, a constituent Republic of the Socialist Federative ...
was the President of the
2nd Executive Council and the
3rd Executive Council between 18 December 1953 and 10 July 1962.
Zvonko Brkić
Zvonko Brkić (18 September 1912 – 27 August 1977) was a Croatian politician who served as the president of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, People's Republic of Croatia, a constituent republic of the Socialist Federat ...
(19121977) was the President of the 4th Executive Council between 10 July 1962 and 27 June 1963.
Socialist Republic of Croatia (1963–1990)
Following the constitutional changes of 1963, the country was renamed, but the Speaker of the Parliament remained the highest officeholder until 1974. The Speakers during this time were likewise all members of the
League of Communists of Yugoslavia:
*
Ivan Krajačić (1906–1986), served between December 1963 and June 1967
![Jakov Blažević](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Jakov_Bla%C5%BEevi%C4%87.jpg)
*
Jakov Blažević
Jakov Blažević (24 March 1912 – 10 December 1996) was a Croatian politician who served as president of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, People's Republic of Croatia, a constituent Republic of the Socialist Federative ...
(1912–1996), served between June 1967 and April 1974
*
Ivo Perišin
Ivo Perišin (4 July 1925 – 30 October 2008) was a Croatian economist, politician and academician. He held various senior governmental posts in the Socialist Republic of Croatia in the 1970s and was mayor of Split, Croatia from 1965 to 1967.
In ...
(1925–2008), served between April 1974 and 8 May 1974
At that point, role of the Speaker of the Parliament was made distinct from the role of the President of the Presidency. Perišin continued on as Speaker until 1978, and he also at one time held the positions of head of government, as well as
Mayor of Split
The Mayor of the City of Split ( hr, Gradonačelnik Grada Splita), colloquially the ''Poteštat'' (derived from "'' podestà''"), is the highest official of the Croatian city of Split. From 1990 to 2007 the mayor was elected by the city assembly. S ...
.
Vladimir Bakarić remained the General Secretary of the League of Communists of Croatia until 1969.
Mika Špiljak
Mika Špiljak ( or ; 28 November 1916 – 18 May 2007) was a Croatian politician who spent most of his political career as a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia in the SFR Yugoslavia.
Early years
He was born in Odra Sisačka (part o ...
(19162007) was the President of the 5th Executive Council between 27 June 1963 and 11 May 1967.
Savka Dabčević-Kučar
Savka Dabčević-Kučar (6 December 1923 – 6 August 2009) was a Croatian politician. She was one of the most influential Croatian female politicians during the communist period, especially during the Croatian Spring when she was deposed. Sh ...
(19232009) was the President of the 6th Executive Council between 11 May 1967 and 8 May 1969.
Dabčević-Kučar became the General Secretary of the League of Communists of Croatia in 1969, a position in which she remained until 1971 and the events of the
Croatian Spring.
Dragutin Haramija (19232012) was the President of the 7th Executive Council between 8 May 1969 and 28 December 1971.
Ivo Perišin
Ivo Perišin (4 July 1925 – 30 October 2008) was a Croatian economist, politician and academician. He held various senior governmental posts in the Socialist Republic of Croatia in the 1970s and was mayor of Split, Croatia from 1965 to 1967.
In ...
(19252008) was the President of the 8th Executive Council between 28 December 1971 and 8 May 1974.
The office of the President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia ( hr, Predsjedništvo Socijalističke Republike Hrvatske) was the republic-level equivalent to the
Yugoslav collective presidency at the federal level since amendments to the constitution in 1971. On 21 February 1974 a new federal Constitution was adopted which reaffirmed the collective federal presidency chaired by the
President of the Presidency.
The constituent republics adopted the same system in new constitutions of their own, with SR Croatia adopting theirs the following day on 22 February.
A nine-member presidency was established, which included the President of the Presidency, elected by the Parliament to a four-year term. Members could not be elected for more than two consecutive terms.
In 1974, Jakov Blažević was made the President of the Presidency, while members were
Boris Bakrač,
Mirko Božić,
Čedo Grbić,
Josip Hrnčević,
Vjekoslav Ivančić,
Zvonimir Jurišić and
Milan Mišković, all members of the League of Communists of Croatia (SKH).
Milka Planinc
Milka Planinc ( Malada; ; 21 November 1924 – 7 October 2010) was a Croatian politician active in SFR Yugoslavia. She served as Prime Minister of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1982 to 1986, the first and only woman to hold this ...
was the president of the SKH, and a member ex officio of the Presidency.
In 1978, still with Jakov Blažević as the President, the members were
Pero Car,
Kazimir Jelovica, Zvonimir Jurišić, Milan Mišković,
Jakša Petrić,
Jelica Radojčević,
Jakov Sirotković, and Milka Planinc continuing as the member ex officio through the presidency of SKH.
The constitution originally allowed for the president of the presidency to serve a maximum of two terms of four years.
Jakov Blažević served as president of the presidency for the maximum two terms, before constitutional reforms in 1981 changed how the presidency functioned.
(19222002) was the President of the 9th Executive Council between 8 May 1974 and 9 May 1978.
(1932) was the President of the 10th Executive Council between 9 May 1978 and 10 May 1982.
The death of federal president-for-life
Josip Broz Tito in 1980 brought into force constitutional articles which made the federal presidency have a rotating president,
which was followed with constitutional amendments in 1981 which introduced the rotating practice into other offices, including the speaker and deputy speaker of the Federal Assembly and their equivalents in the two component chambers. SR Croatia introduced similar amendments into its own constitution in 1981 through which the members of the presidency would continue to be elected to four-year terms, but would rotate as presidents on an annual basis.
Between 1982 and 1986, the following people were Presidents:
Marijan Cvetković (1982-1983),
Milutin Baltić (1983-1984), Jakša Petrić (1984-1985), Pero Car (1985; died in office),
Ema Derossi-Bjelajac (1985-1986), the latter being the first female head of state of Croatia.
The members at the time included: Mirko Božić, Marijan Cvetković (1983-1986),
Tode Ćuruvija, Ema Derossi-Bjelajac (1982-1985), Jakša Petrić (1982-1984, 1985-1986),
Dragutin Plašć, Milutin Baltić (1982-1983, 1984-1984), Pero Car (1982-1985)
The members ex officio as president of the League of Communists of Croatia included
Jure Bilić (1982-1983),
Josip Vrhovec (1983-1984), Mika Špiljak (1984-1986).
Ante Marković
Ante Marković (; 25 November 1924 – 28 November 2011) was a Croatian and Yugoslav politician, businessman and engineer. Marković is most notable for having served as the last prime minister of SFR Yugoslavia.
Early life
Marković, was a Bosn ...
(19242011) was the President of the 11th Executive Council between 10 May 1982 and 10 May 1986.
In 1986 additional constitutional amendments were enacted which increased the length served as President of the Presidency to two years.
Between 1986 and 1990, the following people were Presidents: Ante Marković (1986-1988), who would later serve as the last
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia; and
Ivo Latin (1988-1990).
The members of the Presidency at the time were Ivo Latin (1986-1988),
Tomislav Kovač,
Vlado Dobec,
Mirko Knežević, Ante Marković (1988-1989 when he resigned to take the role of President of the Federal Executive Council),
Olga Miličić-Arslanagić,
Mato Grbac,
Mirko Sinobad
Stanko Stojčević was the member ex officio as president of the League of Communists of Croatia.
(19342008) was the President of the 12th Executive Council between 10 May 1986 and 30 May 1990.
Ivica Račan was the president of SKH between 13 December 1989 and 1990.
While the presidency was controlled by the League of Communists for the most of its history, in 1989 they introduced the first democratic reforms, when constitutional amendments were approved which removed the
President of the Presidency of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Croatia as a member of the presidency ex officio.
Republic of Croatia (1990-1991)
After the
first multi-party elections in 1990, constitutional amendments were put in place which renamed the ''Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia'' to ''Presidency of the Republic of Croatia'' and reduced the total number of members to seven.
In 1990,
Franjo Tuđman became the President of the Presidency, from the
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
The members of the Presidency were:
Krešimir Balenović (HDZ),
Dušan Bilandžić
Dušan Bilandžić (20 July 1924 – 4 March 2015) was a Croatian historian and politician.
Early life
Lower classes of Franciscan gymnasium he attended in Sinj, and continued his high school education in Osijek. Before World War II, he joi ...
(SKH-SDP),
Dalibor Brozović
Dalibor Brozović (; 28 July 1927 – 19 June 2009) was a Croatian linguist, Slavist, dialectologist and politician. He studied the history of standard languages in the Slavic region, especially Croatian. He was an active Esperantist since ...
(HDZ),
Josip Manolić
Josip Manolić (; born 22 March 1920) is a Croatian former politician and communist revolutionary during World War II in Yugoslavia. He served as a high-ranking official of the Yugoslav State Security Administration (OZNA or UDBA) and later as ...
(HDZ; resigned in 1990 to take the role of Prime Minister of Croatia),
Antun Vrdoljak
Antun Vrdoljak (; born 5 June 1931) is a Croatian film actor and director, sports official, and head of Croatian Radiotelevision during the Yugoslav Wars. Between the 1960s and early 1990s he was mainly a film artist. In the early 1990s he beca ...
(HDZ),
Milojko Vučković (independent).
After the first multi-party elections, the President of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Croatia was
Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić (; born 24 December 1934) is a Croatian lawyer and politician who served as President of Croatia from 2000 to 2010. Before serving two five-year terms as president, he was prime minister of SR Croatia (1990) after the fir ...
who served between 30 May 1990 and 25 July 1990, so the
Cabinet of Stjepan Mesić started as the 14th Executive Council.
The constitutional reforms in 1990 also renamed the office of the head of government to
President of the Government.
The
December 1990 Constitution abolished the collective presidency altogether in favor of a singular
President of the Republic of Croatia
The president of Croatia, officially the President of the Republic of Croatia ( hr, Predsjednik Republike Hrvatske), is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and chief representative of the Republic of Croatia both within the ...
.
References
{{Presidential system of SFRY
Socialist Republic of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia