Croatian Growth Explained

Country:Croatia
Native Name:Hrast-Movement for Successful Croatia
President:Ladislav Ilčić[1]
Foundation:23 November 2012
Headquarters:Zagreb, Croatia
Merged:Croatian Souverainists
National:Croatian Sovereignists
European:European Christian Political Movement
Colours: Light blue
Seats1 Title:Sabor
Seats2 Title:European Parliament

Croatian Growth (Croatian: Hrvatski rast, acronym Hrast is a Croatian word for Oak tree) or Hrast-Movement for Successful Croatia was a political party in Croatia established in 2012. Its founding was initiated by several conservative Catholic NGOs, Croatian section of Radio Maria, Croatian Republican Union, Family Party, Christian Democrat politician Ante Ledić, author Hrvoje Hitrec and two candidates in 2010 Presidential elections in Croatia, historian Josip Jurčević and Miroslav Tuđman, son of first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman.[2] The party maintains contacts with European Christian Political Movement.[3]

In the 2013 European Parliament election, Croatian Growth received 2,55% of votes, which was not enough to gain a seat.

The party participated in the Patriotic Coalition at the 2015 Croatian parliamentary election. In that election, it became possible for candidates to receive preferential votes, and the candidates of Hrast won a total of 8,800 (out of a coalition total of 771,070).[4]

Ladislav Ilčić served as MP until new 2016 Croatian parliamentary election when he was replaced by Hrvoje Zekanović, party's vicepresident.

Since April 2018 HRAST is no longer part of the ruling HDZ coalition because of disagreement over the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.

In July 2018 HRAST signed a political cooperation pact with Croatian Conservative Party. In February 2019 they launched political platform called Croatian Sovereignists together with several NGOs and prominent intellectuals for the upcoming 2019 European Parliament election.

On October 2, 2021, a unification assembly was held in Croatia's capital Zagreb. During the assembly it was announced, that three smaller conservative and right-wing parties (Croatian Conservative Party, Croatian Growth - Movement for Successful Croatia and the Generation of Renewal) will become defunct to merge and work together as the Croatian Sovereignists.[5] [6]

Election results

Legislative

ElectionIn coalition withPopular vote(coalition totals) % of overall voteSeats wonChangeGovernment
2015Patriotic Coalition746,62633.36% (#1)New
2016HDZ-HSLS-HDS682,68736.27% (#1) 0
2020DPMŠ181,49210.89% (#3) 0

European Parliament

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ladislav Ilčić . April 7, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140408225629/http://www.h-rast.hr/upoznajte-hrast/vodstvo/predsjednik . April 8, 2014 .
  2. Web site: Arhiva - stari hrsvijet.net 2 . HRsvijet.net . HRsvijet.net . 2016-05-21.
  3. Web site: Ladislav Ilčić on the European elections and the situation in Croatia | ECPM . Ecpm.info . 2016-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160323062320/http://ecpm.info/news/ladislav-il%C4%8Di%C4%87-european-elections-and-situation-croatia . 2016-03-23 . dead .
  4. News: Preferencijalni glasovi . Croatian . . Suzana Barilar . 13 November 2015 .
  5. Web site: 2 October 2021. Ujediniteljski sabor Hrvatskih suverenista. 31 October 2021. suverenisti.hr. hr.
  6. Web site: 2 October 2021. Hrvatskim suverenistima pridružile se još tri desne stranke: 'Ovo je gruda koja će se pretvoriti u lavinu'. 31 October 2021. tportal.hr. hr.