Simone Lawson
Croatia has a long and complex history, with its territory being a part of various empires and kingdoms over the centuries. The country has been a part of the Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg), the Austrian Empire, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and the socialist Yugoslavia before it gained independence and became the Republic of Croatia. While Croatia has a history of monarchy, it is currently a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state, with a constitution that guarantees equality, freedoms, and human rights. The most recent amendment to the constitution was made in 2013, defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Despite its current republican form of government, there is a degree of support for the idea of restoring the monarchy in Croatia, with some surveys indicating that around 40% of Croats would favour a return to a constitutional monarchy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current government type | Constitutional parliamentary republic |
| Previous government type | Monarchy |
| Previous monarchs | King Tomislav I, King Karlo IV |
| Current pretenders to the throne | Crown Prince Karlo Habsburško-Lotarinški, Crown Prince Amedeo Zvonimir of Savoy-Aosta |
| Current head of state | President Zoran Milanović |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Croatia's history as a monarchy
Croatia has a long and complex history as a monarchy, dating back to the early medieval period. During this time, Croatia was a powerful kingdom in the Balkans, with its own kings and queens. The Kingdom of Croatia reached its territorial peak under King Peter Krešimir IV (1058-1074), and the nobility played a significant role in shaping the country's political and social landscape.
However, the Croatian monarchy was not to last. In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire expanded into Croatian territory, reducing the kingdom's land significantly. In 1527, following the Battle of Mohács and the fall of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, Croatian nobles chose to join the Habsburg Monarchy under Austrian rule, with some holding out until 1540. This marked the beginning of a long period of foreign rule for Croatia, during which the country's nobility was often impoverished and culturally assimilated.
During the 18th century, under Austrian Archduchess and Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa, centralization and Germanization efforts further eroded Croatian autonomy. The Kingdom of Croatia suffered large territorial losses during this time, with much of its land distributed to German or Hungarian magnates. In 1745, territory recovered from the Ottomans became the Kingdom of Slavonia, subordinate to the Croatian Kingdom.
In the 19th century, Croatia continued to be subject to foreign rule, first as part of the Austrian Empire and then, following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During this time, Croatian separatism and South Slav cooperation (Yugoslavism) emerged as competing political ideologies shaping Croatian national identity. Despite declaring independence from Austria-Hungary in 1918 and briefly joining the state of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs, Croatia was soon incorporated into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.
It wasn't until the mid-20th century that Croatia regained its independence and established a republican form of government. Following the first multi-party parliamentary elections in 1990, the communist one-party system was rejected, and a liberal-democratic constitution was adopted, establishing the Republic of Croatia. Today, Croatia is a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state, with power derived from and belonging to the people.
While Croatia is no longer a monarchy, there are still pretenders to the throne, and a portion of the population expresses a desire for a return to the country's monarchical roots.
Constitutional Monarchy: Absolute Power or Democratic Check?
You may want to see also
The current Croatian Constitution
The Croatian Parliament
The Croatian Parliament is defined as a representative body of the people and holds legislative power. Its primary function is to create and amend laws and the Constitution. The Parliament also elects the People's Ombudsman, who serves an 8-year term and is responsible for protecting the legal and constitutional rights of citizens in proceedings before the state administration and bodies with public authority.
The President
The President of the Republic of Croatia is elected directly by the people for a maximum of two 5-year terms. The President represents the country at home and abroad and ensures the regular functioning and stability of the state government. During a state of war, the President acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and can issue decrees with the force of law. The President is impeachable for any violation of the Constitution, with the Croatian Parliament deciding whether to proceed with impeachment, which is ultimately decided by the Constitutional Court.
The Government
The Government of the Republic of Croatia exercises executive power and consists of a Prime Minister, one or more Deputy Prime Ministers, and ministers. The Government assumes its duties after receiving a vote of confidence from the majority of the Croatian Parliament.
Rights and Freedoms
The Constitution guarantees equal rights for all citizens regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other beliefs, national or social origin, property, birth, education, or social status. It establishes the official language as Croatian in the Latin script, while also allowing for the use of other languages and scripts, such as Cyrillic, in official use under certain conditions. The Constitution also ensures the right to self-determination and state sovereignty, including the right to secession and association.
Defence and Citizenship
The Constitution regulates the defence structure, chain of command, administration, and democratic oversight of the armed forces. It grants the Croatian Parliament the sole authority to alter the country's borders. The Constitution also outlines the acquisition and revocation of Croatian citizenship and protects the rights and interests of Croatian citizens living abroad.
Constitutional Monarchies: Stable Systems?
You may want to see also
Croatian public opinion on monarchy
Croatia has a long history as a monarchy, dating back to the medieval period when it was known as the Kingdom of Croatia. It was part of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1527 until 1868, and during this time, Croatian nobility enjoyed a privileged social status with considerable power and wealth. However, public opinion on the monarchy in modern times is varied.
A 2019 survey conducted by the Croatian monarchist group "Consilium Regium Croaticum" found that two-fifths of respondents, or 41% of 1759 people polled, wanted the crown to return. This suggests a degree of support for a return to monarchy in Croatia. The monarchist group attributed this support to Croatia's traditionally Catholic and religious society, which favours the historical monarchy over a republic. They also highlighted the country's history as a monarchy until the 20th century.
On the other hand, 58% of respondents in the same survey preferred a constitutional parliamentary republic. This preference for a republic system may reflect the current structure of the Croatian government, which is defined as a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state with power derived from the people. The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia outlines values such as freedom, equal rights, national equality, and a multiparty system, reflecting the ideals of a democratic republic.
While there are currently two pretenders to the Croatian throne, Crown Prince Karlo Habsburško-Lotarinški and Crown Prince Amedeo Zvonimir of Savoy-Aosta, it is unclear how much public support they have individually. Most Croatian monarchist movements support the Hapsburg family, favouring Crown Prince Karlo, also known as Karl van Hapsburg, due to his position as head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
In summary, while a significant portion of Croats express a preference for a return to monarchy, possibly due to religious and traditional influences, the majority still seem to favour the current republican structure outlined in the Constitution. The presence of active monarchist groups and pretenders to the throne indicates a level of interest in or support for a return to monarchy, but it is not a universally held opinion among the Croatian public.
Establishing a Constitutional Monarchy in Empire Total War
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$15.3 $32.5
The Croatian Parliament
The Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. It is composed of 151 members elected to a four-year term based on direct, universal, and equal suffrage by secret ballot. Seats are allocated according to the Croatian Parliament electoral districts, with 140 members elected in multi-seat constituencies. Three seats are reserved for the diaspora and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while national minorities have eight places. The Sabor is presided over by a Speaker, who is assisted by at least one deputy speaker, usually four or five.
The Sabor's powers are defined by the Constitution and include defining economic, legal, and political relations in Croatia, preservation and use of its heritage, and entering into alliances. The Sabor also has the right to deploy the Croatian Armed Forces abroad, restrict some constitutional rights and liberties in specific circumstances, enact legislation, pass the state budget, declare war and peace, adopt parliamentary resolutions, and perform other duties as defined by the Constitution.
Britain's System: Monarchy or Democracy?
You may want to see also
Croatia's independence and sovereignty
In 1527, following the Battle of Mohács, Croatian and Hungarian nobles chose to join the Habsburg Monarchy under Austrian rule, marking the establishment of the Kingdom of Croatia. This kingdom experienced territorial losses in wars with the Ottoman Empire, and its capital was Zagreb. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Croatia underwent further changes, becoming part of the Austrian Empire from 1804 to 1867 and later joining the Kingdom of Slavonia in 1868 to form the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
During World War II, from 1941 to 1945, Croatia existed as the Independent State of Croatia, a puppet state governed by the fascist Ustaše organization and backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. This state included modern-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, parts of Serbia, and a small portion of Slovenia. It was officially a monarchy, with Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta, appointed as king, though he never resided in Croatia.
After World War II, Croatia became a federal unit of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a one-party state run by the League of Communists of Croatia. During this time, a Croatian national protest movement called the Croatian Spring sought greater autonomy but was suppressed by the Yugoslav leadership. However, the 1974 Yugoslav Constitution granted increased autonomy to federal units, paving the way for independence movements in the 1980s.
In the late 1980s, the political situation in Yugoslavia deteriorated, with rising national tensions and the rise of Slobodan Milošević in Serbia, who favoured a centralized Yugoslav state. Slovenia and Croatia sought greater autonomy and eventually independence, leading to the Croatian War of Independence from 1991 to 1995. During this period, Croatia made significant steps towards independence, including holding free elections, adopting a liberal-democratic constitution, and declaring independence from Yugoslavia in June 1991. However, this sparked a conflict with Serb-controlled forces, who opposed the secession and sought to establish a common state with Serbia.
The Croatian War of Independence ended in 1995 with a Croatian victory, achieving the goals of independence and sovereignty. International recognition of Croatian sovereignty came in January 1992, with diplomatic recognition granted by the European Economic Community and the United Nations. Today, Croatia is a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state, with power derived from the people and a liberal-democratic constitution.
Constitutional Monarchies: Elections or Hereditary Succession?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, Croatia is a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state. The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was amended in 1998 and defines Croatia as a state in which power derives from the people and belongs to the people.
Yes, the Kingdom of Croatia was a monarchy that lasted from 925 until 1918. It was part of the Habsburg Monarchy that existed between 1527 and 1868, also known as the Austrian Empire from 1804 to 1867.
Yes, there are currently two pretenders to the Croatian throne. They are Crown Prince Karlo Habsburško-Lotarinški and Crown Prince Amedeo Zvonimir of Savoy-Aosta. Most Croatian monarchist movements support the Hapsburg family and want its Crown Prince, Karlo, to be their king.
