Croatian Parliament facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Croatian Parliament Hrvatski sabor
11th Sabor
Seal of the Croatian Parliament
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	1273 (first documented session) 1990 (contemporary)
Leadership
Speaker	Gordan Jandroković, HDZ Since 5 May 2017
Deputy Speakers	Ivan Penava (DP) Furio Radin (Ind.) Željko Reiner (HDZ) Sabina Glasovac (SDP) Peđa Grbin (SDP) Since 16 May 2024
Structure
Seats	151
Political groups	Government (65)      HDZ (57)      DP (8) Supported by (11)      HSLS & ind. (3)      HNS & ind. (3)      Nezavisni & HSU (3)      Independent (1)      IDS (1) Opposition (74)      SDP (37)      We Can! (10)      The Bridge (8)      Centre-NPS (4)      DOMiNO-HS (4)      HSS-GLAS-DO i SIP (3)      Independents' club (3)      SDSS (3)      IDS (2) Vacant (1)      Vacant seat (1)
Elections
Voting system	Open party-list proportional representation
Last election	17 April 2024
Next election	By 30 April 2028
Meeting place
Parliament Palace, Zagreb

The Croatian Parliament (called Hrvatski sabor in Croatian, or simply the Sabor) is the main law-making body of Croatia. Think of it as a big meeting place where elected representatives from all over Croatia come together to make important decisions for the country.

The Sabor has one main group of members, making it a unicameral parliament. It represents all the people of Croatia and has the power to create laws. There are 151 members in the Sabor. They are chosen by the people in elections every four years. Everyone who is old enough can vote in these elections, and their votes are secret.

Most members (140) are elected from different areas of Croatia. Three seats are set aside for Croatians living outside the country. Also, eight seats are reserved for different national minorities in Croatia, like Serbs, Italians, and Hungarians, to make sure their voices are heard. The Sabor is led by a Speaker, who is like the chairperson of the meeting, and they have several assistants called deputy speakers.

What the Sabor Does

The Sabor has many important jobs, all laid out in the Croatian Constitution. Its main tasks include:

• Deciding on how Croatia's economy, laws, and politics will work.
• Protecting and using Croatia's natural and cultural treasures.
• Making agreements with other countries.
• It can decide if the Croatian Armed Forces should go to other countries.
• In very serious situations, like war or big natural disasters, the Sabor can temporarily limit some rights to keep everyone safe.
• The Sabor can change Croatia's borders or the Constitution itself.
• It creates new laws and approves the country's budget (how money will be spent).
• It can declare war or decide to stop fighting.
• It makes plans for national safety and defense.
• It watches over the armed forces and security services.
• It can call for a referendum, which is when all citizens vote on a specific issue.
• It oversees the work of the Government and other public services.
• It can grant forgiveness for certain crimes (called amnesty).
• It does many other things to keep the country running smoothly.

A Long History of the Sabor

The Sabor has a very long and interesting history, showing how the people of Croatia have always wanted to have a say in their government.

The first recorded meeting of the Sabor happened in Zagreb on April 19, 1273. Back then, it was a meeting for the region of Slavonia. Later, in 1350, there was a Sabor for the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia.

A very important moment was in 1527, when the Sabor chose Ferdinand I from the House of Habsburg to be the new ruler of Croatia. This showed that the Sabor had the power to choose its leaders. After this, the Sabor became a regular meeting of important people (nobility).

The Cetingrad charter from 1527, showing the choice of Ferdinand I as ruler.

In 1848, the Sabor became more modern. It started to include elected representatives, not just nobles. This was a time of big changes in Europe and in Croatia, leading to a strong sense of Croatian national identity. The Sabor worked as the main law-making body for the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia until 1918.

Ban Josip Jelačić at the opening of the first modern Croatian Parliament (Sabor) on June 5, 1848.

On October 29, 1918, the Sabor once again showed its power by declaring Croatia's independence from Austria-Hungary.

The Sabor in 1914.

After World War II, the Sabor continued to evolve. In 1990, after a period of one-party rule, Croatia held its first elections where many different political parties could participate. The Sabor then had two parts (it was bicameral). But in 2001, it changed back to having just one main group of members, which is how it works today.

Celebration in front of the Croatian Parliament on the occasion of Croatia's independence from the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1918.

Session of the Sabor on October 29, 1918.

How Parliament Works

The Parliament represents the people of Croatia and makes laws for the country. It meets twice a year: from January 15 to July 15, and from September 15 to December 15. Sometimes, special meetings can be called by the President of Croatia, the government, or most of the members. All these meetings are open to the public.

Most decisions in the parliament are made by a simple majority vote. However, for very important issues, like changes to the Constitution or laws about ethnic minorities in Croatia, a two-thirds majority vote is needed.

Shield with colored painting on stone building. Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia on the Croatian Parliament building.

Members of parliament have special protection called parliamentary immunity. This means they cannot be arrested or charged with a crime without the parliament's permission, unless it's for very serious offenses. The parliament can also set up special groups to investigate matters of public interest.

The government, led by the Prime Minister of Croatia, is accountable to the parliament. Other important institutions, like the Croatian National Bank, also report to the parliament. The parliament also appoints an ombudsman, who is like a public defender for human rights and freedoms. The ombudsman works independently for eight years to protect citizens' rights.

Committees in the Sabor

The Sabor has many different committees, which are smaller groups of members. These committees discuss and debate new ideas and proposed laws before they are voted on by the whole parliament. They also listen to suggestions and requests from citizens.

Members of the Sabor also work with parliaments from other countries. They form groups to participate in international organizations, like the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Speaker of the Parliament

The members of the parliament choose a Speaker and several deputy speakers. The Speaker is the main leader of the Sabor.

Since the first multi-party elections, there have been several Speakers. As of May 16, 2024, Gordan Jandroković from the HDZ is the 12th Speaker of the Sabor. There are also five deputy speakers who help him.

If the President of Croatia cannot do their job (for example, due to illness or resignation), the Speaker of the Parliament temporarily becomes the acting President. This happened in 1999 when Vlatko Pavletić became acting president after the death of Franjo Tuđman.

Painting in the Sabor Palace marking June 25, 1991, when the Sabor declared Croatia an independent state.

How Members are Chosen

The Constitution of Croatia says that the parliament must have between 100 and 160 members. These members are elected by secret ballot for four-year terms. Elections happen within 60 days after a term ends or if the parliament is dissolved early. A new parliament must meet within 20 days after the elections.

Currently, 140 members are elected from different areas of Croatia. Up to 3 members are chosen to represent Croatian citizens living abroad. Also, 8 members represent different ethnic and national communities or minorities in Croatia.

The way elections work has changed over time. The most recent big change was in February 2015. Now, voters can choose not only a list of candidates but also a specific person from that list. If a candidate gets more than 10% of the votes for their list, they are elected directly.

Past Elections

Since 1990, Croatia has held several parliamentary elections. The 1990 elections were the first time many different parties could run after 45 years of one-party rule. In these elections, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) were two of the main parties.

Over the years, many different political parties have won seats in the Sabor. Some of the most well-known include the HDZ, the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS), the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), and the SDP. There are also members who are not part of a specific party, called independents.

(*)In the first multi-party elections in 1990, three parliamentary chambers were elected. Turnout varied for each chamber.

The Chamber of Counties

From 1990 to 2001, the Croatian Parliament had two parts: the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Counties (called Županijski dom). The Chamber of Counties represented the different regions (counties) of Croatia. Each county elected three members. The President of Croatia could also appoint up to five additional members. The Chamber of Counties was removed in 2001, making the Sabor a single-chamber parliament again.

How Parliament Decisions are Shared

All decisions made by the Croatian Parliament are published in Narodne Novine, which is the official newspaper of Croatia. This ensures that all laws and rules are publicly known before they become official. You can read Narodne Novine online for free.

Parliamentary debates and other events are also covered by news channels in Croatia. There's even an online TV channel called Saborska televizija that broadcasts all the main meetings of the parliament. The Parliament's Public Relations Department also shares news and updates with everyone in Croatia.

Where the Parliament Meets

The main hall of the Croatian parliament.

The Sabor has met in Zagreb since the 1200s. For a long time, there wasn't a special building for it. Meetings were held in private homes or other official places.

In 1731, the government bought land and started building a new parliament building. The Sabor first met there on May 6, 1737. This building was also used for other government offices.

The current parliament building was completed in 1911. It was designed by Lav Kalda and Karlo Susan.

Due to damage from the 2020 Zagreb earthquake, the Sabor temporarily moved to the Petar Zrinski Barracks in the Črnomerec district in 2024 while the main Sabor Palace is being repaired.

See also

In Spanish: Parlamento de Croacia para niños

• Constitution of Croatia
• Elections in Croatia
• Politics of Croatia