Term length No term limit Website www.vlada.hr | Formation 31 May 1990 | |
Appointer Prime Minister of Croatia Inaugural holder Bernardo Jurlina, Mate Babić and Milan Ramljak | ||
The Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia (officially the Vice President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Potpredsjednik/ Potpredsjednica Vlade Republike Hrvatske)), is the official Deputy of the Prime Minister of Croatia. Article 109 of the Constitution of Croatia states that the cabinet is to be made up of the Prime Minister, one or more Deputy Prime Ministers and other cabinet ministers. According to convention, if the governing parliamentary majority is a coalition of parties, all junior partners in the coalition will usually be given one Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet, with their rank usually being determined by the number of MPs the party has in Parliament. The Deputy Prime Ministers are permitted to simultaneously hold a ministerial portfolio while in office, but may also serve without holding such a portfolio.
Contents
The Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia is not the constitutional successor of the Prime Minister and will not automatically assume the post of Prime Minister in the event of a vacancy. However, the Deputy Prime Minister may chair cabinet meetings in the event of the Prime Minister becoming temporarily incapacitated or otherwise unable to chair the meetings of his or her government cabinet.
History of the office
The office of the Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia was established on 31 May 1990, during the government of Stjepan Mesić. It was initially held by three people: Bernardo Jurlina, Mate Babić and Milan Ramljak. Since then, the office was usually held simultaneously by several people (e.g. the government of Jadranka Kosor at one point had six Deputy Prime Ministers). In addition, Deputy Prime Ministers may chose to combine their post with another government portfolio.
The current cabinet (in office since 19 October 2016) has four Deputy Prime Ministers: Davor Ivo Stier, Damir Krstičević, Martina Dalić and Ivan Kovačić. Stier, Dalić and Krstičević are members of the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, which is the larger partner in the ruling coalition, while Kovčić is a member of the centrist Bridge of Independent Lists (Most) party, which is the junior partner.
List of Deputy Prime Ministers
Croatian Democratic Union (28)
Social Democratic Party (6)
Croatian Social Liberal Party (3)
Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (3)
Croatian Peasant Party (2)
Independent Democratic Serb Party (1)
Bridge of Independent Lists (2)