a,
Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija, Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija,
Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija, Varazdinska Zupanija,
Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija, Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija,
Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Republic Day/Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)

Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC
(since 18 February 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January
2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since 27 January 2000),
Zeljka ANTUNOVIC (since 27 January 2000), Slavko LINIC (since 27
January 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
approved by the House of Representatives

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister nominated by the president in line with the balance of
power in the Assembly

election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote
- Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%

note: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS, IDS

Legislative branch: bicameral Assembly or Sabor consists of the
House of Counties or Zupanijski Dom (68 seats, 63 directly elected
by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members serve
four-year terms; note - House of Counties to be abolished in 2001)
and House of Representatives or the Zastupnicki Dom (151 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: House of Counties - last held 13 April 1997; House of
Representatives - last held 2-3 January 2000 (next to be held NA
2004)

election results: House of Counties - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - HDZ 42, HSLS/HSS 11, HSS 2, IDS 2, SDP/PGS/HNS
2, SDP/HNS 2, HSLS/HSS/HNS 1, HSLS 1; note - in some districts
certain parties ran as coalitions, while in others they ran alone;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - HDZ 46, SDP 44, HSLS 24, HSS 17, HSP/HKDU 5, IDS 4, HNS 2,
independents 4, minority representatives 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for
both courts appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council
of the Republic, which is elected by the House