President of Croatia
The president of Croatia, officially the president of the Republic of Croatia, is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and chief representative of the Republic of Croatia both within the country and abroad. The president is the holder of the highest office in Croatia. However, the president is not the head of the executive branch as Croatia has a parliamentary system in which the holder of the post of prime minister is the most powerful person within the country's constitutional framework and everyday politics.
The president maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system, and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The president has the power to call ordinary and extraordinary elections for the Croatian Parliament, as well as to call referendums. The president formally appoints the prime minister on the basis of the balance of power in parliament and consultations conducted with the leaders of parliamentary parties, grants pardons and awards decorations and other state awards. The president and Government cooperate in conducting foreign policy. In addition, the president is the commander-in-chief of the Croatian Armed Forces. The president appoints the director of the Security and Intelligence Agency in agreement with the prime minister. The president may dissolve the Parliament under circumstances provided by the Constitution. Although enjoying immunity, the president is impeachable for violation of the Constitution. In case of a temporary or permanent incapability by the president to discharge the duties of office, the speaker of the Parliament assumes the office of acting president until the president resumes their duties, or until the election of a new president within 60 days of the permanent vacancy occurring.
The Office of the President of the Republic consists of the immediate staff of the president of Croatia, as well as support staff reporting to the president. The office is located in the Presidential Palace in the Pantovčak area of Zagreb. The Constitution of Croatia defines the appearance and use of the presidential standard, which is flown on the buildings of the Office of the President, the residence of the president, any vehicles in use by the president, and in other ceremonial occasions.
The president is elected on the basis of universal suffrage, through a secret ballot, for a five-year term. If no candidate in the elections secures more than 50% of all votes cast, a runoff election is held. The Constitution of Croatia sets a limit of a maximum of two terms in office. The president-elect is required to take an oath of office before the judges of the Constitutional Court. Franjo Tuđman won the first Croatian presidential elections in 1992 and in 1997. During his time in office, the constitution adopted in 1990 provided for a semi-presidential system, which was in the coming years further strengthened by laws specifically aimed at providing Tuđman with sweeping powers, as his HDZ party held a supermajority in parliament throughout the 1990s. After his death in 1999, the constitution was amended and many presidential powers were transferred to parliament, to the prime minister and to his government. Stjepan Mesić won two consecutive terms, in 2000 and in 2005, and served as president until 2010. Ivo Josipović won the presidential election held from 2009 to 2010 and left office in 2015, after losing his reelection bid for a second term. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović won the election held in December 2014 and January 2015, but was defeated in her bid for a second term. Namely, on 5 January 2020 the centre-left former prime minister, Zoran Milanović, won the 2019–20 election in the second round and took office on 19 February 2020.
List of office-holders
This is a graphical timeline listing of the presidents of Croatia since the first multi-party elections in 1990.ImageSize = width:400 height:600
PlotArea = left:45 right:0 bottom:150 top:20
Legend = columns:1 left:40 top:100
AlignBars = early
Colors=
id:grid value:gray
id:grid2 value:gray
id:HDZ value:blue legend:HDZ
id:HNS value:orange legend:HNS
id:SDP value:red legend:SDP
DateFormat = yyyy
Period = from:1990 till:2030
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical order:reverse
ScaleMajor = grid:grid unit:year increment:5 start:1990
ScaleMinor = grid:grid2 unit:year increment:1 start:1990
PlotData=
bar:Leaders width:30 mark: align:left fontsize:L shift: anchor:middle
from:1990 till:2000 color:HDZ text:Franjo Tuđman
from:2000 till:2010 color:HNS text:Stjepan Mesić
from:2010 till:2015 color:SDP text:Ivo Josipović
from:2015 till:2020 color:HDZ text:Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
from:2020 till:2030 color:SDP text:Zoran Milanović
Powers, duties and responsibilities
The president of Croatia, officially styled President of the Republic represents the Republic of Croatia in the country and abroad as the head of state, maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The president is barred from executing any other public or professional duty while in office.The president of Croatia calls elections for the Croatian Parliament and convenes the first meeting of the parliamentary assembly. The president is also required to appoint a prime minister, on the basis of the balance of power in the parliament. The appointed candidate is in turn required to seek confirmation from the parliament through a confidence vote, to receive a mandate to lead the Croatian Government. The president may also call referendums, grant pardons and award decorations and other forms of recognition defined by legislation.
Foreign affairs
The president of Croatia and the Government cooperate in the formulation and implementation of Croatia's foreign policy. This provision of the constitution is an occasional source of conflict between the president and the government. The president decides on the establishment of diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Croatia abroad, at the Government's proposal and with the countersignature of the prime minister. The president, following prior countersignature of the prime minister, appoints and recalls diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Croatia, at the proposal of the Government and upon receiving the opinion of an applicable committee of the parliament. The president receives letters of credence and letters of recall from foreign diplomatic representatives.National security and defense
The president of Croatia is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Croatia and appoints and relieves military commanders of duty, esp. the chief of general staff, conforming to applicable legislation. The President confers ranks on commissioned officers and generals/admirals, upon minister's proposal.The president cooperates with the government directing operation of the Croatian security and intelligence system. The president and the prime minister jointly appoint heads of the security agencies, and the president may attend cabinet meetings, taking part in discussions held at such meetings. The president and the prime minister jointly convene Defense Council as well as the National Security Council; the president chairs these councils and their meetings.
The president of Croatia is supported in his defense and national security duties and responsibilities by the Military Cabinet as a part of the Office of the President, staffed by commissioned officers. The President works closely with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.