Croatia's Falling Turnout Sends Warning, Expert Says

The lowest-ever turnout in Croatia in the elections held on September 11 should be seen "as an expression of the feeling of citizens that there is not as much power in politics as there used to be", Zagreb Political Sciences Professor Dejan Jovic said.

Voters believe that "true power has moved from politics to other institutions, most notably to employers, banks and especially to the international community, which decides on the direction of the certain country," he said, referring to the way that countries surrender significant powers on entering the EU.

Only 52.38 per cent of almost 3.8 million registered voters in Croatia cast votes in the early parliamentary elections, which took place only ten months after the last elections. The turnout was 8 per cent lower than in November.

For the first time, the number of active voters fell below 2 million.

The turnout has fallen continuously in Croatia since 2000 when, in elections held a month after the death of President Franjo Tudjman, 76.53 per cent of voters exercised their democratic right to cast ballots.

Croatian voters were especially motivated during the referendum on independence from Yugoslavia held in 1991, when 83.56 per cent of voters cast votes, of whom 93.24 per cent opted to quit the Yugoslav state.

Jovic also emphasised that in Croatia's case, falling turnout is a result of both major parties - the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ - moving towards the same centre ground, which he said "doesn't necessarily correspond to voters' positions.

"Both leaders, Zoran Milanovic [of the SDP] and Andrej Plenkovic [of the HDZ] have contributed to that; Milanovic, by turning to the right and Plenkovic, by turning towards the left, have...