The Demands of the Nation (Croatian: Zahtijevanja naroda) is the name for a political petition that was adopted on March 25, 1848 in Kingdom of Croatia. In its 30 points it contains principles and programs of the Croatian citizens, as well as national, state, legal, social and liberal seeks to change Croatian position within the Austrian Empire, and to change the state structure and social issues within Croatia. Demands of the Nation, which were read by Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski at a meeting of Grand National Assembly, were unanimously adopted in the National Home palace. Demands of the Nation were actually political program of the People's Party which had governed all Croatian counties since 1842. The session of the Grand National Assembly that was held on March 25, 1848, as a result of the Illyrian movement and social upheavals all across Europe in mid-19th century, is considered to be the beginning of the modern Croatian Parliament (Sabor). The session is important because it was for the first time in history attended by members of all social classes representing the Triune Kingdom Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. In addition to members of different classes, session was attended by students of the Zagreb People's Orthodox Academy and attenders of the Roman Catholic Episcopal seminary.
The document consists of 30 points with demands which included:
Demands of the Nation were actually political program of the People's Party so they were printed in the form of a leaflet with a print run of 15,000 bilingual Croatia-German copies so they could be made known to a larger number of people.
On March 29, 1848 Demands were submitted to the Emperor Franz Joseph I by special Croatian delegation of 400 people that were led by Ljudevit Gaj. Emperor hasn't shown intention to meet the requirements, but Josip Jelačić already forbid Croats to receive any further orders from the Government in Budapest.