Dec 11, 2007

Sponsor: Fellows

New Borders and Anomalies in the Balkans: Croatia's Diaspora Constituency

Over a series of two roundtable discussions, Ms. Bartulac-Blanc led a discussion on:

  • Election results
  • How to institute reform
  • Exploring possible models for changing the system gradually and better reflect the democratic values to which Croatia subscribes

On November 25, Croatian citizens will go to the polls to elect a new government. Included among the voters are over 350,000 members of the Croatian Diaspora who live mainly in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina. The election campaign thus far has focused on this non-geographical electoral constituency, which has historically awarded a unique advantage to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the current ruling party which designed the system. Without the support of this vital group of voters, the HDZ may not win a majority of seats in the upcoming elections.

The HDZ and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the main opposition party, are sharply divided on the issue of this non-geographical constituency. The ruling HDZ is reluctant to reform the system, and the main opposition party has pledged to do away with it if they win. For the first time, the SDP is going so far as to 'boycott' this constituency to highlight its perception of bias. As past elections have already demonstrated, and as the November elections are likely to confirm, the disproportional influence that Croatian citizens in Bosnia exert over election results in Croatia may make a gradual reform inevitable. If the Diaspora seats decide victory in November, the HDZ will have to balance the wishes of the electorate in Croatia with its supporters in Bosnia. If the SDP wins, it will likely need the support of the HDZ to garner enough votes to implement their proposed reform.

Ms. Bartulac-Blanc has worked in the planning and management of international elections since 1996, including the elections in Bosnia, Kosovo, and most recently Iraq. She has managed voter registration and elections for refugees and displaced persons, drafted electoral procedures and helped draft election laws, and designed and implemented training and voter education programs. As IFES Deputy Chief of Party for Programs in Iraq, she served as a senior manager for the international electoral assistance team. During her fellowship, Ms. Bartulac-Blanc is working on a project on minorities and elections in post-Yugoslav jurisdictions.