Croatian Peasant Party
Hrvatska seljačka stranka |
|
---|---|
President | Krešo Beljak |
Founder | Stjepan Radić |
Founded | 22 December 1904 |
Headquarters | Zagreb, Croatia |
Ideology | Christian democracy Green conservatism Agrarianism |
Political position | Centre |
National affiliation | People's Coalition (2016-) |
European affiliation | European People's Party |
International affiliation |
International Peasants' Union (1921–1988) Peasant International (1924–1925) |
Colours | Green |
Slogan | Faith in God and Croatian unity |
Seats in Sabor |
5 / 151
|
European Parliament |
1 / 11
|
Mayors |
4 / 128
|
County Prefects |
3 / 21
|
Website | |
hss |
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The Croatian Peasant Party (Croatian: Hrvatska seljačka stranka, HSS) is a center to center-right political party in Croatia founded on December 22, 1904 by Antun and Stjepan Radić as Croatian Peoples' Peasant Party (HPSS). Brothers Radić considered that the realization of Croatian statehood was possible within Austria-Hungary, but that it had to be reformed into a Monarchy divided into three equal parts – Austria, Hungary, Croatia. After the creation of Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1918, Party requested for the Croatian part of the Kingdom to be based on self-determination. This brought them great public support which columned in 1920 parliamentary election when HPSS won all 58 seats assigned to Croatia.
In 1920, disgruntled with a bad position of Croats in the Kingdom, Party changed its name into Croatian Republican Peasant Party (HRSS) and started advocating succession from the Kingdom and the establishment of "peaceful peasant Republic of Croatia". On 1923 and 1925 election, HRSS doubled the number of won votes, and has thus become the second largest party in the Parliament.
In 1927, faced with a constant prosecution by the regime, HRSS was forced to soften its policy, change its name into Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), recognize the Vidovdan Constitution and form a coalition with Serbian People's Radical Party. This resulted in HSS losing its popularity which was seen in 1927 election when it lost almost third of votes won in the previous elections. After termination of the coalition agreement with the Radicals, HSS formed Peasant-Democratic Coalition with Pribičević's Independent Democratic Party. In 1928, Vladko Maček become new president of HSS after the assassination of Stjepan Radić.