Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia

The deputy prime minister of Croatia (officially the Vice President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, Croatian: Potpredsjednik 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.

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 47 individuals have held the office, usually holding it simultaneously with several other people (e.g. the government of Jadranka Kosor at one point had six Deputy Prime Ministers). In addition, Deputy Prime Ministers may choose to combine their post with another government portfolio.

The current cabinet (in office since 23 July 2020) has five Deputy Prime Ministers: Davor Božinović (since 2019), Tomo Medved (since 2020), Anja Šimpraga (since 2022), Oleg Butković (since 2022), and Branko Bačić (since 2023). They are all member of the Croatian Democratic Union, except Šimpraga, who is member of the Independent Democratic Serb Party.

List of deputy prime ministers

Parties

  Croatian Democratic Union (43)
  Social Democratic Party (7)
  Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (4)
  Croatian Social Liberal Party (3)
  Croatian Peasant Party (2)
  The Bridge (2)
  Independent Democratic Serb Party (2)
  Independent (2)
  Homeland Movement (1)

Note

Denotes Deputy Prime Ministers who served as Prime Minister before or after holding the deputy prime ministership

Cabinet of Stjepan Mesić (1990)

Cabinet of Josip Manolić (1990–1991)

Cabinet of Franjo Gregurić (1991–1992)

Cabinet of Hrvoje Šarinić (1992–1993)

Cabinet of Nikica Valentić (1993–1995)

Cabinet of Zlatko Mateša (1995–2000)

First and Second cabinet of Ivica Račan (2000–2003)

First and Second cabinet of Ivo Sanader (2003–2009)

Cabinet of Jadranka Kosor (2009–2011)

Cabinet of Zoran Milanović (2011–2016)

Cabinet of Tihomir Orešković (2016)

First, Second and Thrid cabinet of Andrej Plenković (2016–present)

References

^ Resigned to become European Commissioner for Consumer Protection in the European Commission, the first Croatian European Commissioner since the country's accession to the European Union.