Croatia elects its first MEPs

By Dejan Stjepanović, CITSEE Research Fellow

On Sunday, 14 April 2013, the first election for Croatian members of the European Parliament will be held as the country’s accession to the European Union is set for 1 July 2013.

The election is the first one based on the reviewed electoral registers with some 3.7 million Croatian citizens eligible to vote, 763,814 fewer than in previous polls including the January 2012 referendum on joining the EU. The reviewed registers are supposed to alleviate a number of controversies surrounding the registers, including the actual number of voters, double voting and deceased citizens who were still enrolled in the registers. The Law on Electoral Registers, adopted on 21 December 2012 (Narodne novine br.: 144 21.12.2012.), introduced by the centre left government and representing a long-delayed clean-up of the registers, was largely opposed by the centre right which has in the past benefited from the diaspora votes.

Some of the innovations of the law include the list of voters which is to be compiled for each election (or referendum) based on the updated register. These lists would include all adult citizens of Croatia who reside in the country and have a valid ID card as well as non-resident citizens who register for the particular election. The law includes the so-called ‘active registration’ clause, meaning that Croatian citizens residing abroad should register themselves for each election with the relevant diplomatic office. The law has meant that in the forthcoming EP election only 2,243 Croatian citizens residing abroad can exercise their voting rights – unlike in the referendum on EU membership when 412,628 were eligible. Further, the law stipulates that EU citizens residing in Croatia can apply to be included in the local (and regional) electoral roll and can vote in local and regional (county) elections. The next local and regional elections will be held on 19 May 2013.

Globalcit

Croatia elects its first MEPs

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