Croatia has twelve electoral districts. Ten of these are geographical districts within Croatia, each providing fourteen members of Croatian Parliament. District XI is for Croatian citizens living abroad, with three members of parliament (until 2011, it elected a maximum twelve members of parliament, depending on turnout). District XII is for national minorities, providing eight members of parliament.[1]
The first ten districts are roughly based on geography, but shaped according to the number of voters so that each district holds roughly the same number of registered voters, around 400,000.[2] These districts therefore do not correspond to the borders of top administrative divisions within Croatia and each district contains one or more or parts of several Croatian counties.
History
Geographic electoral districts from 2000 to 2023Geographic electoral districts from 2023
These districts have been in place since the Law on Electoral Districts of 1999.[1]
In December 2010, the Constitutional Court of Croatia ruled that an update to the layout of electoral districts was necessary, as the differences in the number of voters among the districts, limited by law to 5%, had grown to 25%.[3][4][5][6]
The first proposal to amend the election law was proposed by Dragutin Lesar, from the Croatian Labourists – Labour Party, in 2011. The new law proposed a division into six geographical constituencies with fixed borders based on county borders, and the number of seats would depend on the number of voters in each. In the first elections, the units would have between 20 and 25 seats. The law also proposed retaining units for the diaspora and national minorities. The proposal was eventually withdrawn due to lack of support.[7]
The second proposal followed in 2014, when the Croatian Labourists – Labour Party proposed constructively the same law with updated mandate numbers, according to which the units had between 20 and 26 mandates. The proposal passed the first vote but fell in the form of a final bill.[8][9]
The third proposal was discussed at the same time as the second, and was proposed by the Istrian Democratic Assembly. These changes were accompanied by previous laws according to which the boundaries of constituencies should be adjusted to the number of voters, which would reduce the difference in number of voters below 2%. The proposal passed the first vote, but no final debate was held so it was not adopted.[10]
The fourth proposal for changes to the law came from the referendum initiative "People Decide" ("Narod odlučuje"), which in 2018 collected signatures for calling a referendum. The initiative advocated reducing the number of deputies to 100 to 120, with each constituency electing at least 15 deputies, and reducing the number of constituencies whose borders would coincide with those of counties in the future. The Ministry of Administration found that the initiative did not collect enough signatures, which is why a referendum did not follow.[11][12]
The fifth proposal came from the Social Democratic Party of Croatia, which, along with the amendment of the Law on Electoral Units, also proposes the amendment of the Law on the Election of Members of the Croatian Parliament. The changes envisage six constituencies with the number of mandates depending on the population in each of them, and the current change would be from 18 to 29 representatives.[13][14]
On February 7, 2023, the Constitutional Court issued a decision repealing the Law on Electoral Units, which expires on October 1, 2023. This required Parliament to pass a new law that would meet legal standards.[15]
On May 25, the government proposed a new law on constituencies, changing only the boundaries of the existing ones to achieve a deviation of less than 5%.[16][17]
On September 28, 2023, the Croatian Parliament passed the law, but due to it not being signed by the President before October 1, 2023, the law had to be passed a second time on October 20, 2023, and came into effect on November 3, 2023.[18]
The difference represents the total difference between the largest and smallest district during each election. The legal difference is not above 5%.
Electoral districts I–X since 2023
Electoral district I
Central part of City of Zagreb: city districts: Črnomerec, Donji grad, Gornji grad – Medveščak, Maksimir, Novi Zagreb – east, Peščenica – Žitnjak, Podsljeme and Trnje
Southern part of Zagreb county: cities and municipalities Velika Gorica, Kravarsko, Orle, Pisarovina, Pokupsko and Rugvica
Eastern part of City of Zagreb: city districts: Donja Dubrava, Gornja Dubrava and Sesvete
Eastern and South-eastern part of Zagreb county: cities and municipalities Dugo Selo, Ivanić-Grad, Sveti Ivan Zelina, Vrbovec, Bedenica, Brckovljani, Dubrava, Farkaševac, Gradec, Kloštar Ivanić, Križ, Preseka and Rakovec
Western and Southern part of Koprivnica-Križevci county: cities and municipalities Križevci, Gornja Rijeka, Kalnik, Rasinja, Sokolovac, Sveti Ivan Žabno and Sveti Petar Orehovec
Eastern part of Sisak-Moslavina county: cities and municipalities Hrvatska Kostajnica, Novska, Donji Kukuruzari, Hrvatska Dubica, Jasenovac, Lipovljani and Majur
Electoral district VI
Western part of City of Zagreb: city districts: Brezovica, Novi Zagreb – west, Podsused – Vrapče, Stenjevec, Trešnjevka – south and Trešnjevka – north
Western and South-western part of Zagreb county: cities and municipalities Jastrebarsko, Samobor, Sveta Nedelja, Zaprešić, Brdovec, Klinča Sela, Krašić, Stupnik and Žumberak
Electoral district VII
Whole Lika-Senj county
Whole Karlovac county
Central, Southern and Western part of Sisak-Moslavina county: cities and municipalities Glina, Kutina, Petrinja, Popovača, Sisak, Dvor, Gvozd, Lekenik, Martinska Ves, Sunja, Topusko and Velika Ludina
Northern part of Zadar county: cities and municipalities Obrovac, Pag, Gračac, Jasenice, Kolan, Novigrad, Posedarje, Povljana, Ražanac, Starigrad and Vir
Northern and Eastern part of Primorje-Gorski Kotar county: cities and municipalities Čabar, Delnice, Kastav, Vrbovsko, Brod Moravice, Čavle, Fužine, Jelenje, Klana, Lokve, Matulji, Mrkopalj, Ravna Gora, Skrad, Vinodolska općina and Viškovo
Electoral district VIII
Whole Istria county.
Western part of Primorje-Gorski Kotar county: cities and municipalities Bakar, Cres, Crikvenica, Kraljevica, Krk, Mali Lošinj, Novi Vinodolski, Opatija, Rab, Rijeka, Baška, Dobrinj, Kostrena, Lopar, Lovran, Malinska-Dubašnica, Mošćenička Draga, Omišalj, Punat and Vrbnik
Electoral district IX
Whole Šibenik-Knin county
Northern part of Zadar county: cities and municipalities: Benkovac, Biograd na Moru, Nin and Zadar, Bibinje, Galovac, Kali, Kukljica, Lišane Ostrovičke, Pakoštane, Pašman, Polača, Poličnik, Preko, Privlaka, Sali, Stankovci, Sukošan, Sveti Filip i Jakov, Škabrnja, Tkon, Vrsi and Zemunik Donji
North-western part of Split-Dalmatia county: cities and municipalities Kaštela, Sinj, Solin, Trilj, Trogir, Vrlika, Dicmo, Dugopolje, Hrvace, Klis, Lećevica, Marina, Muć, Okrug, Otok, Prgomet, Primorski Dolac, Seget and Šolta
Electoral district X
Whole Dubrovnik-Neretva county
Southern part of Split-Dalmatia county: including cities and municipalities Hvar, Imotski, Komiža, Makarska, Omiš, Split, Stari Grad, Supetar, Vis, Vrgorac, Baška Voda, Bol, Brela, Cista Provo, Dugi Rat, Gradac, Jelsa, Lokvičići, Lovreć, Milna, Nerežišća, Podbablje, Podgora, Podstrana, Postira, Proložac, Pučišća, Runovići, Selca, Sućuraj, Sutivan, Šestanovac, Tučepi, Zadvarje, Zagvozd and Zmijavci
northwestern part of Zagreb County including cities and municipalities: Bistra, Brdovec, Dubravica, Jakovlje, Luka, Marija Gorica, Pušča, Zaprešić
part of central and western City of Zagreb including city districts and streets: Voćarska, Petrova, Ribnjak, Hrvatskih narodnih vladara, Antona Bauera, Matko Laginja, Pavao Šubić, Kralj Zvonimir, Petar Krešimir IV., Knez Mislav, Eugen Kvaternik, Maksimirska naselja, Ružmarinka, Peščenica, Šestine, Mlinovi, Gračani, Markuševec, Vidovec, Remete, Bukovec, Kozjak, Maksimir, Dobri Dol, Dinko Šimunović, Mašićeva, Dotršćina, Ban Keglević, Petar Zrinski, Stjepan Radić, Kraljevac, Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski, Tuškanac, Gornji Grad, Nova Ves, August Cesarec, Zrinjevac, Cvjetni trg, Andrija Medulić, Ante Topić Mimara, Petar Svačić, August Šenoa, Gupčeva Zvijezda, Medveščak, Šalata, Samoborček, Podsused, Gornji Stenjevec, Perjavica-Borčec, Gornje Vrapče, Vrapče-centar, Vrapče-jug, Gornja Kustošija, Kustošija-centar, Sveti Duh, Medvedgrad, Šestinski Dol, Jelenovac, Matija Gubec, Rudeš, Ante Starčević, Ljubljanica, Ciglenica, Pongračevo, Nikola Tesla, Stara Trešnjevka, S.S. Kranjčević, Antun Mihanović, Bartol Kašić, Horvati-Srednjaci, Knežija, Trnjanska Savica, Martinovka, Poljane, Miramare, Cvjetnica, Marin Držić, Trnje, Cvjetno naselje, Veslačko naselje, Savski kuti, Staro Trnje, Hrvatskog književnika Mile Budaka, Sigečica
eastern part of Zagreb County including cities and municipalities: Bedenica, Brckovljani, Dubrava, Dugo Selo, Farkaševac, Gradec, Preseka, Rakovec, Sveti Ivan Zelina, Vrbovec
eastern part of City of Zagreb including city districts and streets: Adamovec, Belovar, Blaguša, Budenec, Cerje-Sesvete, Dobrodol, Drenčec, Dubec, Dumovec, Đurđekovec, Gajec, Gajišće, Glavnica Donja, Glavnica Gornja, Glavničica, Goranec, Jelkovec, Jesenovec, Kašina, Kašinska Sopnica, Kobiljak, Kučilovina, Kućanec, Luka Sesvete, Lužan, Markovo Polje, Moravče, Novo Brestje, Paruževina, Planina Donja, Planina Gornja, Popovec, Prekvršje, Prepuštovec, Sesvete-Centar, Sesvetska Sela, Sesvetska Selnica, Sesvetska Sopnica, Soblinec, Staro Brestje, Šašinovec, Šija Vrh, Šimunčevec, Vuger Selo, Vugrovec Donji, Vugrovec Gornji, Vurnovec, Žerjavinec and settlements in Dubrava: Trnovčica, Studentski Grad and Poljanice; Granešina, Dankovec, Miroševac, Oporovec, Granešinski Novaki, Zeleni Brijeg, Čulinec, Stari Retkovec, Klaka, Dubrava-središte, Gornja Dubrava, Ivan Mažuranić, Novi Retkovec, Donja Dubrava, 30. svibnja 1990., Čučerje, Branovec-Jalšovec, Novoselec
southeastern part of Zagreb County including cities and municipalities: Ivanić Grad, Kloštar Ivanić, Kravarsko, Križ, Orle, Pokupsko, Rugvica, Velika Gorica
southeastern part of City of Zagreb including city districts and streets: Volovčica, Folnegovićevo naselje, Donje Svetice, Bruno Bušić, Borongaj-Lugovi, Vukomerec, Ferenščica, Savica-Šanci, Žitnjak, Kozari Bok, Resnik, Kozari Putovi, Petruševac, Ivanja Reka, Trnava, Resnički Gaj, Kanal, Zapruđe, Utrine, Travno, Sopot, Siget, Sloboština, Dugave, Središće
southwestern part of Zagreb County including cities and municipalities: Jastrebarsko, Klinča Sela, Krašić, Pisarovina, Samobor, Stupnik, Sveta Nedjelja, Žumberak
eastern part of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County including cities and municipalities: Bakar, Brod Moravice, Čabar, Čavle, Delnice, Fužine, Jelenje, Kastav, Klana, Lokve, Mrkopalj, Novi Vinodolski, Ravna Gora, Skrad, Vinodolska općina, Viškovo, Vrbovsko
western, southwestern and southern part of City of Zagreb including city districts and streets: Gajnice, Stenjevec, Malešnica, Špansko, Prečko, Vrbani, Jarun, Gajevo, Trnsko-Krešimir Rakić, Kajzerica, Savski Gaj, Remetinec, Blato, Jakuševac, Hrelić, Sveta Klara, Botinec, Brebernica, Brezovica, Buzin, Demerje, Desprim, Donji Čehi, Donji Dragonožec, Donji Trpuci, Drežnik Brezovički, Goli Breg, Gornji Čehi, Gornji Dragonožec, Gornji Trpuci, Grančari, Havidić Selo, Horvati, Hrašće Turopoljsko, Hrvatski Leskovac, Hudi Bitek, Ježdovec, Kupinečki Kraljevec, Lipnica, Lučko, Mala Mlaka, Odra, Odranski Obrež, Starjak, Strmec, Veliko Polje, Zadvorsko
western part of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County including cities and municipalities: Baška, Cres, Crikvenica, Dobrinj, Kostrena, Kraljevica, Krk, Lovran, Mali Lošinj, Malinska - Dubašnica, Matulji, Mošćenička Draga, Omišalj, Opatija, Punat, Rab, Rijeka, Vrbnik
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