List of Presidents of Croatia

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This is a list of Heads of State of Croatia. Historically, the first republican heads of state of Croatia (then a constituent republic of the Yugoslavia) were the Presidents of the Presidium of the Croatian Parliament, an office notably distinct from the Speaker of the Parliament (Predsjednik Sabora). When the Presidium was abolished in the constitutional reforms of 1953, the position defaulted to the Presidents of the Parliament. In 1974, a new constitution brought about a collective Croatian Presidency, with the President of the Presidency as head of state of the Republic. The next constitution of 1990 abolished the Presidency and established a single office of the President, which (under a new semi-presidential system) was now much more empowered than any of the previous offices. Up until this point, the various heads of state wielded far less real executive power than the Prime Ministers.

Since 1990, the President of the Republic of Croatia (Predsjednik) is directly elected to a five-year term and is limited to a maximum of two terms. However, with the constitution of 2001, the powers of the President (much expanded in 1990) were now again severely curtailed, as Croatia shifted from a semi-presidential system, to a parliamentary system. As in most parliamentary systems, the President is now by-and-large a ceremonial office, with the Prime Minister de facto heading the executive branch. Also since 2001, the President cannot be a member of any political party:[1] he or she can be elected as a member of a party, but once elected must resign the membership, this is marked with an asterisk (*) next to the name of the political party in the table.

Heads of state of the People's Republic of Croatia (1945–1963) and the Socialist Republic of Croatia (1963–1990)

President of the Presidium of Parliament (1943–1953)

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia (2)

No. President Lifespan Term of office
—
Electoral
mandates		 Party Notes
1 Vladimir Nazor 1876–1949 13 June
1943		 19 June
1949		 Independent[2] From 1943 to 1945 formal head of state as Speaker of the ZAVNOH (Croatian wartime assembly). Post-war served as head of state in the function of President of the Presidium of the Parliament. First head of state of modern Croatia. Died in office.
2 Karlo Mrazović 1902–1987 15 October
1949
1952		 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
3 Vicko Krstulović 1905–1988
1952		 6 February
1953		 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
(renamed in 1952)
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
(renamed in 1952)

Speaker of the Croatian Parliament (1953–1974)

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia (5)

No. President Lifespan Term of office
—
Electoral
mandates		 Party Notes
4 Zlatan Sremec 1898–1971 6 February
1953		 December
1953		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Speaker of Parliament since 1946; became formal head of state (as Speaker) on 6 February 1953 with the abolition of the Presidium.
5 Vladimir Bakarić 1912–1983 December
1953		 December
1963		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Longest term to date as Croatian head of state, also served as Prime Minister of Croatia. People's Hero of Yugoslavia
6 Ivan Krajačić 1906–1986 December
1963		 June
1967		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
7 Jakov Blažević 1912–1996 June
1967		 April
1974		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
8 Ivo Perišin 1925–2008 April
1974		 8 May
1974		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Ceased to be the head of state with the establishment of the collective Presidency on 8 May 1974; continued on as Speaker until 1978. Also at one time held the positions of Prime Minister of Croatia, and Mayor of Split.

Presidents of the Presidency (1974–1990)

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia (8)   Croatian Democratic Union (1)

No. President Lifespan Term of office
—
Electoral
mandates		 Party Notes
9 Jakov Blažević 1912–1996 8 May
1974		 May
1982		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
10 Marijan Cvetković 1920–1990 May
1982		 May
1983		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
11 Milutin Baltić 1920–2013 May
1983		 10 May
1984		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
12 Jakša Petrić 1922–1993 10 May
1984		 10 May
1985		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
13 Pero Car 1920–1985 10 May
1985		 15 November
1985		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Died in office.
14 Ema Derosi-Bjelajac 1926– 20 November
1985		 10 May
1986		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia First female head of state of modern Croatia.
15 Ante Marković 1924–2011 10 May
1986		 May
1988		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Also at one time Prime Minister of Croatia, and last Prime Minister of Yugoslavia. Led successful reforms terminated by the ensuing Yugoslav Wars.
16 Ivo Latin 1929–2002 May
1988		 30 May
1990		 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
17 Franjo Tuđman 1922–1999 30 May
1990		 25 July
1990		 Croatian Democratic Union Constitutional amendments in July 1990 changed formal title to "President of Croatia" and expanded presidential powers. New constitution (third since 1945) drafted later that year.

Presidents of the Republic of Croatia (1990–present)

Franjo Tuđman was elected on 30 May 1990 as the President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and held office together with 6 Vice-presidents of the Presidency. However, with the adoption of a new constitution on 22 December 1990 the name of the republic was changed, removing the word Socialist from its name and abolishing the Presidency in favor of the post of President of the Republic of Croatia. The Croatian Parliament declared independence on 25 June 1991, but postponed its decision until 8 October 1991, when Tuđman formally became president of an independent nation. Thus, the current office is not considered a continuation of the line of heads of state who held office while Croatia was a constituent republic in Yugoslavia and whose heads of state held a subnational office.

  Croatian Democratic Union (2)   Social Democratic Party (1)   Croatian Peasant Party   Croatian People's Party (1)

No. President Lifespan Term of office
—
Electoral
mandates		 Party Notes
1
 Franjo Tuđman
 1922–1999 25 July
1990		 10 December
1999		 Croatian Democratic Union Croatia independent from 25 June 1991.
Incapacitated from 26 November 1999; died while formally in office.
Elections:
1992 (56,7% - 1.519.100 votes),
1997 (61,4% - 1.337.990 votes)
Vlatko Pavletić
(acting)		 1930–2007 26 November
1999		 2 February
2000		 Croatian Democratic Union Acting president as Speaker of the Parliament.
Zlatko Tomčić
(acting)		 1945– 2 February
2000		 18 February
2000		 Croatian Peasant Party Acting president as Speaker of the Parliament.
2
 Stjepan Mesić
 1934– 18 February
2000		 18 February
2010		 Croatian People's Party*
(formally independent)		 Two terms. Previously served as Prime Minister of Croatia, Speaker of Parliament and the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia.
Elections:
2000 (56% - 1.433.372 votes),
2005 (65,9% - 1.454.451 votes)
3
 Ivo Josipović
 1957– 19 February
2010		 18 February
2015		 Social Democratic Party*
(formally independent)		 One term. Lost election for second term.
Election:
2009–10 (60,3% - 1.339.385 votes)
4
 Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović 1968– 19 February
2015		 Incumbent Croatian Democratic Union*
(formally independent)		 First female president
Election:
2014–15 (50,7% - 1.114.945 votes)

Statistics

# President Date of birth Age at ascension
(first term)		 Time in office
(total)		 Age at retirement
(last term)		 Date of death Longevity
1 Franjo Tuđman May 14, 1922 68 years, 16 days 9 years, 194 days 77 years, 210 days December 10, 1999 77 years, 210 days
A Vlatko Pavletić December 2, 1930 69 years, 8 days 0 years, 54 days 69 years, 62 days September 19, 2007 76 years, 291 days
A Zlatko Tomčić October 7, 1945 54 years, 118 days 0 years, 16 days 54 years, 134 days Living 71 years, 63 days (Living)
2 Stjepan Mesić December 24, 1934 65 years, 56 days 10 years, 0 days 75 years, 56 days Living 81 years, 351 days (Living)
3 Ivo Josipović August 28, 1957 52 years, 175 days 5 years, 0 days 57 years, 175 days Living 59 years, 103 days (Living)
4 Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović April 29, 1968 46 years, 295 days 1 year, 294 days (Ongoing) Incumbent Living 48 years, 224 days (Living)

A - Acting President

Spouses of Croatian Presidents

The First Lady or First Gentleman of Croatia is the informal title given to the wife or husband of the President of Croatia. It is used almost exclusively outside the country itself or by foreign media sources, while within Croatia itself the spouse of the President is usually referred to as either the wife of the President of the Republic or the husband of the President of the Republic, rather than being referenced as a First Spouse. The title carries no official or formal duties and is purely honorary.

Name Relation to President
Ankica Tuđman wife of Franjo Tuđman
Milka Mesić wife of Stjepan Mesić
Tatjana Josipović wife of Ivo Josipović
Jakov Kitarović husband of Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

Facts and records of Presidents of Croatia

Age

Terms and elections



Other facts

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/232289.html
  2. ↑ Member of the Unitary National Liberation Front, i.e. the National Front
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