Centre for Political Science Research Centar za ženske studije Zagreb Faculty of Social Sciences Centre for Women’s Studies University of Ljubljana MONITORING OF CROATIAN ANTI-DISCRIMINATIVE POLICIES WITH REGARDS TO THE BALANCED POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND MEN With a special focus on implementation of gender quotas and their effect MONITORING REPORT Zagreb and Ljubljana, April 2013 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Centre for Women's Studies, Zagreb, and should in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. The publication was produced within the project AD ACTE –Anti-Discrimination Actions Towards the Equality of Women and Men. This project is funded by the European Union. This report is available at http://www.zenstud.hr/; http://politoloske-raziskave.si/ Zagreb, Ljubljana 2013 Table of Contents ABOUT THE AUTHORS (in alphabetical order) ..................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................... 9 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 2. RESEARCH MODEL .................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.1 The theoretical framework of the implementation study.................................................................. 14 2.2 Detailed outline of the research model ...................................................................................................... 16 3. OVERVIEW OF THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF POLICY DOCUMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 20 3.1 The evolution of political representation of women in Croatia ....................................................... 20 3.1.1 The socialist legacy .................................................................................................................................... 20 3.1.2 Civil Society Developments as Factors in the Democratic Transition of Croatia ............. 22 3.1.3 Women during the early period of transition to democracy and frozen democratization (1990-2000) ............................................................................................................................................................ 23 3.1.4 Towards Consolidated Democracy? ................................................................................................... 25 3.2. The legislative history relating to women in politics in Croatia..................................................... 26 3.2.1 Pathways of system construction ........................................................................................................ 26 3.2.2 Overview of legislative documents concerning women in politics in Croatia .................. 31 3.3 Degree of Balanced Political Representation of Women and Men in Croatia ............................ 36 3.3.1 General degree of balanced political representation of women ............................................. 36 3.3.2. Political parties and representation of women............................................................................. 38 3.3.3 Electoral system and women in Croatia ........................................................................................... 39 4. THE FORMULATION AND ADOPTION OF GENDER QUOTAS .................................................................. 41 4.1 Towards the (new) equality in politics ...................................................................................................... 41 4.1.1 The Ad hoc Coalitions of the ‘90s ......................................................................................................... 42 4.1.2 Peculiarities of the Law on Political Parties .................................................................................... 44 4.2 The tale of two laws ........................................................................................................................................... 45 4.2.1 The Gender Equality Act 2003 .............................................................................................................. 45 4.2.2 The Gender Equality Act 2008 .............................................................................................................. 48 4.3.1 Support for the Gender Equality Act 2003....................................................................................... 55 4.3.2 Support for the Gender Equality Act 2008....................................................................................... 58 5. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENDER QUOTAS ............................................................................................. 63 5.1 The de jure institutional framework for gender equality ................................................................... 63 5.1.1 The Croatian Parliament ......................................................................................................................... 63 5.1.2 The Ombudsperson (officially Ombudsman) for Gender Equality.......................................... 65 5.1.3 Governmental bodies (national and sub-national) for gender equality .............................. 66 5.1.4 Political parties ............................................................................................................................................ 67 5.1.5 Other relevant bodies indirectly connected with the implementation of gender quotas ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 68 5.1.6 The de jure framework of relevant public actors in the field of gender equality ............ 68 5.2 The de facto Institutional Framework of the Balanced Political Participation of Women and Men ................................................................................................................................................................................... 70 5.2.1 The Croatian Parliament ......................................................................................................................... 71 5.2.3 The Ombudsperson for Gender Equality .......................................................................................... 72 5.2.3 Governmental bodies (national and sub-national) for gender equality .............................. 74 5.2.4 The State Election Commission and the Croatian Bureau of Statistics ................................ 79 5.2.5 Civil society organisations ...................................................................................................................... 80 5.2.6 Political Parties............................................................................................................................................ 81 5.2.7 The de facto institutional network in the field of balanced political participation ......... 82 5.3 The implementation of Gender Quotas – local level case study (Split-Dalmatia County) .... 86 5.3.1 Case selection ............................................................................................................................................... 86 5.3.2 Formation of the Commission for Gender Equality of the Split-Dalmatia County .......... 89 5.3.3 Contextual background of the county politics ................................................................................ 90 5.3.5 De jure vs. de facto arrangement on the ground ........................................................................... 91 5.3.6 Tentative conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 96 6. DISCRIMINATION UNVEILED: THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN GENDER AND ETHNICITY IN THE CROATIAN POLITICAL ARENA – THE CASE OF MINORITY WOMEN .............................................. 97 6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 97 6.2 Background and the conceptual aspects of intersectional discrimination ................................. 98 6.3 The case of Croatia: a broken system of values ................................................................................... 100 6.4 Institutional and legal breakdown ............................................................................................................ 101 6.5 Discrimination as a powerful tool for offenders ................................................................................. 102 6.6 The legal framework for the protection of ethnic minorities ........................................................ 103 6.7 Political rights of ethnic minorities .......................................................................................................... 105 6.8 Gender and Minorities Quotas ...................................................................................................................