List of Presidents of Croatia

This is a list of Heads of State of Croatia. Historically, the first republican heads of state of Croatia (then a constituent republic of the Yugoslavia) were the Presidents of the Presidium of the Croatian Parliament, an office notably distinct from the Speaker of the Parliament (Predsjednik Sabora). When the Presidium was abolished in the constitutional reforms of 1953, the position defaulted to the Presidents of the Parliament. In 1974, a new constitution brought about a collective Croatian Presidency, with the President of the Presidency as head of state of the Republic. The next constitution of 1990 abolished the Presidency and established a single office of the President, which (under a new semi-presidential system) was now much more empowered than any of the previous offices. Up until this point, the various heads of state wielded far less real executive power than the Prime Ministers.

Since 1990, the President of the Republic of Croatia (Predsjednik) is directly elected to a five-year term and is limited to a maximum of two terms. However, with the constitution of 2001, the powers of the President (much expanded in 1990) were now again severely curtailed, as Croatia shifted from a semi-presidential system, to a parliamentary system. As in most parliamentary systems, the President is now by-and-large a ceremonial office, with the Prime Minister de facto heading the executive branch. Also since 2001, the President cannot be a member of any political party:^[1] he or she can be elected as a member of a party, but once elected must resign the membership, this is marked with an asterisk (*) next to the name of the political party in the table.

Heads of state of the People's Republic of Croatia (1945–1963) and the Socialist Republic of Croatia (1963–1990)

President of the Presidium of Parliament (1943–1953)

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia (2)

No.	President		Lifespan	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Party	Notes
1		Vladimir Nazor	1876–1949	13 June 1943	19 June 1949	Independent[2]	From 1943 to 1945 formal head of state as Speaker of the ZAVNOH (Croatian wartime assembly). Post-war served as head of state in the function of President of the Presidium of the Parliament. First head of state of modern Croatia. Died in office.
2		Karlo Mrazović	1902–1987	15 October 1949	1952	Communist Party of Yugoslavia
3		Vicko Krstulović	1905–1988	1952	6 February 1953	Communist Party of Yugoslavia (renamed in 1952)
						League of Communists of Yugoslavia (renamed in 1952)

Speaker of the Croatian Parliament (1953–1974)

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia (5)

No.	President		Lifespan	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Party	Notes
4		Zlatan Sremec	1898–1971	6 February 1953	December 1953	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	Speaker of Parliament since 1946; became formal head of state (as Speaker) on 6 February 1953 with the abolition of the Presidium.
5		Vladimir Bakarić	1912–1983	December 1953	December 1963	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	Longest term to date as Croatian head of state, also served as Prime Minister of Croatia. People's Hero of Yugoslavia
6		Ivan Krajačić	1906–1986	December 1963	June 1967	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
7		Jakov Blažević	1912–1996	June 1967	April 1974	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
8		Ivo Perišin	1925–2008	April 1974	8 May 1974	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	Ceased to be the head of state with the establishment of the collective Presidency on 8 May 1974; continued on as Speaker until 1978. Also at one time held the positions of Prime Minister of Croatia, and Mayor of Split.

Presidents of the Presidency (1974–1990)

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia (8)   Croatian Democratic Union (1)

No.	President		Lifespan	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Party	Notes
9		Jakov Blažević	1912–1996	8 May 1974	May 1982	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
10		Marijan Cvetković	1920–1990	May 1982	May 1983	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
11		Milutin Baltić	1920–2013	May 1983	10 May 1984	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
12		Jakša Petrić	1922–1993	10 May 1984	10 May 1985	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
13		Pero Car	1920–1985	10 May 1985	15 November 1985	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	Died in office.
14		Ema Derosi-Bjelajac	1926–	20 November 1985	10 May 1986	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	First female head of state of modern Croatia.
15		Ante Marković	1924–2011	10 May 1986	May 1988	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	Also at one time Prime Minister of Croatia, and last Prime Minister of Yugoslavia. Led successful reforms terminated by the ensuing Yugoslav Wars.
16		Ivo Latin	1929–2002	May 1988	30 May 1990	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
17		Franjo Tuđman	1922–1999	30 May 1990	25 July 1990	Croatian Democratic Union	Constitutional amendments in July 1990 changed formal title to "President of Croatia" and expanded presidential powers. New constitution (third since 1945) drafted later that year.

Presidents of the Republic of Croatia (1990–present)

Franjo Tuđman was elected on 30 May 1990 as the President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and held office together with 6 Vice-presidents of the Presidency. However, with the adoption of a new constitution on 22 December 1990 the name of the republic was changed, removing the word Socialist from its name and abolishing the Presidency in favor of the post of President of the Republic of Croatia. The Croatian Parliament declared independence on 25 June 1991, but postponed its decision until 8 October 1991, when Tuđman formally became president of an independent nation. Thus, the current office is not considered a continuation of the line of heads of state who held office while Croatia was a constituent republic in Yugoslavia and whose heads of state held a subnational office.

  Croatian Democratic Union (2)   Social Democratic Party (1)   Croatian Peasant Party   Croatian People's Party (1)

No.	President		Lifespan	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Party	Notes
1		Franjo Tuđman	1922–1999	25 July 1990	10 December 1999	Croatian Democratic Union	Croatia independent from 25 June 1991. Incapacitated from 26 November 1999; died while formally in office.
				Elections: 1992 (56,7% - 1.519.100 votes), 1997 (61,4% - 1.337.990 votes)
		Vlatko Pavletić (acting)	1930–2007	26 November 1999	2 February 2000	Croatian Democratic Union	Acting president as Speaker of the Parliament.
		Zlatko Tomčić (acting)	1945–	2 February 2000	18 February 2000	Croatian Peasant Party	Acting president as Speaker of the Parliament.
2		Stjepan Mesić	1934–	18 February 2000	18 February 2010	Croatian People's Party* (formally independent)	Two terms. Previously served as Prime Minister of Croatia, Speaker of Parliament and the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia.
				Elections: 2000 (56% - 1.433.372 votes), 2005 (65,9% - 1.454.451 votes)
3		Ivo Josipović	1957–	19 February 2010	18 February 2015	Social Democratic Party* (formally independent)	One term. Lost election for second term.
				Election: 2009–10 (60,3% - 1.339.385 votes)
4		Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović	1968–	19 February 2015	Incumbent	Croatian Democratic Union* (formally independent)	First female president
				Election: 2014–15 (50,7% - 1.114.945 votes)

Statistics

#	President	Date of birth	Age at ascension (first term)	Time in office (total)	Age at retirement (last term)	Date of death	Longevity
1	Franjo Tuđman	May 14, 1922	68 years, 16 days	9 years, 194 days	77 years, 210 days	December 10, 1999	77 years, 210 days
A	Vlatko Pavletić	December 2, 1930	69 years, 8 days	0 years, 54 days	69 years, 62 days	September 19, 2007	76 years, 291 days
A	Zlatko Tomčić	October 7, 1945	54 years, 118 days	0 years, 16 days	54 years, 134 days	Living	71 years, 63 days (Living)
2	Stjepan Mesić	December 24, 1934	65 years, 56 days	10 years, 0 days	75 years, 56 days	Living	81 years, 351 days (Living)
3	Ivo Josipović	August 28, 1957	52 years, 175 days	5 years, 0 days	57 years, 175 days	Living	59 years, 103 days (Living)
4	Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović	April 29, 1968	46 years, 295 days	1 year, 294 days (Ongoing)	Incumbent	Living	48 years, 224 days (Living)

A - Acting President

Spouses of Croatian Presidents

The First Lady or First Gentleman of Croatia is the informal title given to the wife or husband of the President of Croatia. It is used almost exclusively outside the country itself or by foreign media sources, while within Croatia itself the spouse of the President is usually referred to as either the wife of the President of the Republic or the husband of the President of the Republic, rather than being referenced as a First Spouse. The title carries no official or formal duties and is purely honorary.

Name	Relation to President
Ankica Tuđman	wife of Franjo Tuđman
Milka Mesić	wife of Stjepan Mesić
Tatjana Josipović	wife of Ivo Josipović
Jakov Kitarović	husband of Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

Facts and records of Presidents of Croatia

Age

• Oldest first-term president: Franjo Tuđman (68 years, 16 days) - Note: technically first term but regarded as interim term (1990-1992) until direct elections could take place.
• Oldest president upon second inauguration: Franjo Tuđman (70 years, 91 days) - Note: technically second term but regarded as first term under constitutional provision and first following direct elections.
• Oldest president upon end of final term: Franjo Tuđman (77 years, 210 days)
• Oldest head of state (overall) upon entering office: Vlatko Pavletić (as acting President) (69 years, 8 days)
• Youngest president upon inauguration: Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (46 years, 295 days)
• Youngest president upon second inauguration: Stjepan Mesić (70 years, 56 days)
• Youngest president upon end of term: Ivo Josipović (57 years, 175 days)
• Youngest president upon end of second term: Stjepan Mesić (75 years, 56 days)
• Youngest head of state (overall) upon end of term: Zlatko Tomčić (as acting President) (54 years, 134 days)

Terms and elections

• Three terms: Franjo Tuđman (1990-1992, 1992-1997, 1997-1999)
• Two terms: Stjepan Mesić (2000-2005, 2005-2010)
• One term: Ivo Josipović (2010-2015), Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (in office since 2015)

• Longest serving president: Stjepan Mesić (10 years)
• Shortest serving president with complete term: Ivo Josipović (5 years)
• Shortest serving head of state: Zlatko Tomčić (as acting president) (16 days)

• Highest vote percentage in an election: Franjo Tuđman (83,14%) - indirectly by parliament in 1990
• Highest vote percentage in a direct election (overall): Stjepan Mesić (65,93%) - second round in 2000
• Highest vote percentage in a direct election (first round): Franjo Tuđman (61,4%) - in 1997
• Lowest vote percentage in an election (overall): Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (50,74%) - in 2015
• Lowest vote percentage in an election (first round): Ivo Josipović (32,42%) - in 2009

• Highest number of votes in an election (overall): 1.519.000 (Franjo Tuđman in 1992)
• Highest number of votes in second round: 1.454.451 (Stjepan Mesić in 2005)
• Lowest number of votes in an election (overall): 640.594 (Ivo Josipović in first round in 2009)
• Lowest number of votes in second round: 1.114.945 (Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović in 2015)

• Largest margin of victory in a direct election (%): 40,4% (Franjo Tuđman (61,4%) and Zdravko Tomac (21%) in 1997)
• Largest margin of victory in a direct election (votes): 933.565 votes (Franjo Tuđman and Dražen Budiša in 1992)
• Smallest margin of victory in a direct election (%): 1,48% (Kolinda Grabar Kitarović (50,74%) and Ivo Josipović (49,26%) in 2015 (second round)
• Smallest margin of victory in a direct election (votes): 32.509 (Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and Ivo Josipović in 2015 (second round))
• Only indirectly elected president: Franjo Tuđman (by 281 of 338 votes of Members of Parlimanet in 1990)

Other facts

• First female president: Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

• President with most Prime Ministers serving during term: Franjo Tuđman (6 Prime Ministers - Stjepan Mesić, Josip Manolić, Franjo Gregurić, Hrvoje Šarinić, Nikica Valentić, Zlatko Mateša)

• Only president to die in office: Franjo Tuđman

See also

• President of Croatia
• Prime Minister of Croatia
  • List of Croatian Governments
• Speaker of the Croatian Parliament
• Secretary of the League of Communists of Croatia
• Politics of Croatia
• List of heads of state of Yugoslavia
• Prime Minister of Yugoslavia

References

1. http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/232289.html
2. Member of the Unitary National Liberation Front, i.e. the National Front