Gender Quotas Database
Croatia
Southern Europe
Single / Lower House
Hrvatski Sabor / Croatian Parliament
| Total seats | 151 |
| Total women | 51 |
| Percentage of women | 34% |
| Election year | 2020 |
| Electoral system | List PR |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
(3) Perceptible gender imbalance in the sense of paragraph 2 of this article exists if the representation of one gender in political and public decision-making bodies is lower than 40%. (Gender Quota Law, Article 12) (2) … political parties and other authorized proposers, when establishing election lists, are obliged to introduce special measures in such a way that the representation of men and women on the lists for the election of representatives to the Croatian Parliament, members of representative bodies of local units and local (regional) self government and members of the European Parliament shall not be noticeably unbalanced, in accordance with Article 12, Paragraph 3 of this Act. … the gradual increase of the underrepresented gender must be achieved no later than the third regular election from the date of entry into force of this Act. (Gender Quota Law, Article 15) When determining and nominating party lists and independent lists for the election of representatives to the Parliament, list nominators are obliged to respect the principle of gender equality and take into account the balanced representation of women and men on the lists. The list for the election of representatives is in accordance with the principles from paragraph 1 of this article if at least 40% of members of each gender are on the list. … (Election Law, Article 21.a) |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Yes |
Political parties and other authorized proposers who, when proposing a list of candidates for the election of representatives to the Croatian Parliament, members of representative bodies of local and regional self-government units, as well as members of the European Parliament who do not respect the principle of gender equality established by Article 15 of this Act and do not take into account the balanced representation of women and men on electoral lists in accordance with Article 12 of this Act, shall be fined HRK 50,000.00 for the offense for the elections for members of the Croatian Parliament and members of the European Parliament, with a fine of HRK 40,000.00 for elections for members of city councils and county assemblies, or a fine of HRK 20,000.00 for elections for members of municipal councils. (Gender Quota Law, Article 35) A list on which at least 40% of members of each gender are not represented is not valid. (Election Law, Article 21.a) |
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | Yes |
For each elected MP or member of the representative body of a local and regional self-government unit who belongs to an under-represented gender, political parties shall also be entitled to a bonus of 10% of the amount allocated for each MP or member of a representative body of such local and regional self-government See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | No | See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
(2) … political parties and other authorized proposers, when establishing election lists, are obliged to introduce special measures in such a way that the representation of men and women on the lists for the election of representatives to the Croatian Parliament, members of representative bodies of local units and local (regional) self government and members of the European Parliament shall not be noticeably unbalanced, in accordance with Article 12, Paragraph 3 of this Act. … the gradual increase of the underrepresented gender must be achieved no later than the third regular election from the date of entry into force of this Act. (Gender Quota Law, Article 15) Candidate … (3) Proposers of candidate lists are obliged to respect the principle of gender equality, in accordance with a special law. (Local Government Law, Article 9) |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Gender Quota Law |
Political parties and other authorized proposers who, when proposing a list of candidates for the election of representatives to the Croatian Parliament, members of representative bodies of local and regional self-government units, as well as members of the European Parliament who do not respect the principle of gender equality established by Article 15 of this Act and do not take into account the balanced representation of women and men on electoral lists in accordance with Article 12 of this Act, shall be fined HRK 50,000.00 for the offense for the elections for members of the Croatian Parliament and members of the European Parliament, with a fine of HRK 40,000.00 for elections for members of city councils and county assemblies, or a fine of HRK 20,000.00 for elections for members of municipal councils. (Article 35) |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Party | Socijaldemokratska Partija Hrvatske (SDP) |
In 1996 SDP introduced a voluntary party quota of 40 percent. In 2000 the party adopted a formal 40% quota for men and women on electoral lists, but no rank-order rules. |
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional information
After the implementation of the law in 2008, a gradual increase of representation should be achieved within the next three regular elections. In terms of the parliamentary elections of 2011, (35% of women were on the ballots), however, only 24% of women were elected to seats in parliament, up from 20% in the previous elections. Therefore, according to Article 15(2) the gradual increase, should be achieved by the 2020 elections.
Political Parties: incentivized recruitment on the local and regional level of under-represented gender. According to Article 6 , “For each elected deputy or member of the representative body of a local and regional governmental unit who belongs to an under-represented gender, political parties shall also be entitled to a bonus of 10% of the amount allocated for each deputy or member of the representative body of such local and regional governmental unit, as specified in Article 5(1) of this Act.”
“Following the formation of the government, the percentage of women in parliament reached the 30% mark. A legislated candidate quota (40%) was introduced in 2008. It was subsequently loosened to replace sanctions with financial incentives. The decision to revise the sanctions reflects a 2015 Constitutional Court decision which states that the disqualification of incompliant lists would be disproportionate given that the Law on Gender Equality provides for a fine. In 2020, thirty-nine party candidate lists (20%) failed to respect the quota, including the governing party, resulting in fewer women candidates overall and fewer women at the head of the lists” (Inter-Parlamentary Union 2021, p. 9)
Sources
Legal Sources:
- Constitution of Croatia - Link
- Election Law - Link
- Political Parties Law - Croatian / English
- Gender Quota Law - Link
- Local Government Law - Link
Other Sources:
- Parliament of Croatia - Link
- Electoral Commission - Link
- Gender Equality - Link
- Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Parline Croatia
- Inter-Parliamentary Union, (2021). "Women in Parliament in 2020 The Year in Review".
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Croatia on iKNOW Politics
- Antic, M. 2003. ‘Factors Influencing Women's Presence in Slovene Parliament,’ in Matland, R. and Montgomery, K. (eds) Women's Access to Power in Post Communist Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation. 2002: ‘Croatia’ in Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). A Compilation of NGO Reports from Balkan Countries. pp.146-173.
- Stability Pact Gender Task Force (SPGTF). 2002. ‘Building National Gender Equality Mechanisms in South East Europe – Women's Use of the State’.
- Antic, M. 2001. ‘Women in Politics in Slovenia's New Democracy: Why so few?’, in Hans-Dieter Klingemann and Charles L. Taylor (eds). Elections in Slovenia, 1990-1997: Analyses, Documents and Data, Series Founding Elections in Eastern Europe. Edition Sigma, Berlin: Rainer Bohn Verlag.
- Woodward, A. 2001. ‘Women Are Doing It: Building a Gender Balanced Democracy Using Sticks, Carrots and Kisses’. Stability Pact Gender Task Force Regional Meeting, Slovenia (SPGTF).
- Antic, M. 1999. ‘Slovene Political Parties and Their Influence on the Electoral Prospects of Women,’ Corrin, C. (ed.). Gender and Identity in Central and Eastern Europe. Frank Cass Publishers. pp. 7- 29.
- Antic, M. 1998. ‘Women in Parliament in Slovenia, Versus Losers of the “Wende” - Winners of the EU?’. ‘Participation of Women: Chances and effects of the transformation process’, Politik und Forum. Vienna. pp. 35-44.
- Croatian Parliament, http://www.sabor.hr
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