Istrian Democratic Assembly
Encyclopedia
The Istrian Democratic Assembly is a Croatia
n regional and social liberal political party in Istria
. The hyphenated abbreviation IDS-DDI is most commonly used.
The three rams on the party coat of arms represent a historical symbol of the region, which is also represented by the ram in the fourth of the five parts of the crown resting atop the Croatian coat of arms (25-field white and red chequerboard) on the Croatian flag.
The party is led by Ivan Jakovčić
. In the Croatian Parliament, however, it has been Damir Kajin
who most frequently acted as the parties spokesperson and he headed the party list in the 2007 elections where the party gained 3 representatives.
The party was founded 1990, on the eve of the first multi-party elections
in modern Croatia. The party decided not to participate, thus allowing Communists, recently rebranded as the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
, to make a sweep of the region. IDS instead made its electoral debut on 1992 elections and used the collapse of the SDP to take all three Istrian constituencies.
This result turned Istria into an area of significant concern for Croatian President Franjo Tuđman and his Croatian Democratic Union
, which had dominated every other region in Croatia. For the first elections for Croatian Chamber of Counties
, which also coincided with the first election for newly formed Istria county
, state-controlled media launched an unprecedented media blitz directed almost exclusively at Istria. This effort spectacularly backfired as Istrian voters gave almost three quarters of their votes to IDS. After that no party challenged IDS supremacy in Istria, at least not directly.
The main policy of the IDS is intercession of cultural and economical identity of Istria and equal status for Italian
and Croatian
in Istria. This was in opposition to Tuđman and his hard-line nationalism. Other Croatian political parties were more pragmatic, and IDS cooperated with them in the Croatian Parliament and during elections. In Istria, however, IDS is bitterly opposed by local branches of SDP, as well as their former member and first Istrian prefect Luciano Delbianco who had defected and formed a new party called Istrian Democratic Forum.
IDS was briefly part of the national government following 2000 parliamentary
and presidential
elections. One year later, IDS, dissatisfied with the way Ivica Račan
and his coalition partners treated Istria, left the government, although they continued to support it in Parliament.
In 2006, IDS joined the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR).
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n regional and social liberal political party in Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
. The hyphenated abbreviation IDS-DDI is most commonly used.
The three rams on the party coat of arms represent a historical symbol of the region, which is also represented by the ram in the fourth of the five parts of the crown resting atop the Croatian coat of arms (25-field white and red chequerboard) on the Croatian flag.
The party is led by Ivan Jakovčić
Ivan Jakovčić
Ivan Jakovčić is a Croatian politician and current head of the Istria County in Croatia.-Political career:...
. In the Croatian Parliament, however, it has been Damir Kajin
Damir Kajin
Damir Kajin is a Croatian politician. He is a representative in the Croatian Parliament with the Istrian Democratic Assembly.He lives in Buje....
who most frequently acted as the parties spokesperson and he headed the party list in the 2007 elections where the party gained 3 representatives.
The party was founded 1990, on the eve of the first multi-party elections
Croatian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats...
in modern Croatia. The party decided not to participate, thus allowing Communists, recently rebranded as the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia...
, to make a sweep of the region. IDS instead made its electoral debut on 1992 elections and used the collapse of the SDP to take all three Istrian constituencies.
This result turned Istria into an area of significant concern for Croatian President Franjo Tuđman and his Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
, which had dominated every other region in Croatia. For the first elections for Croatian Chamber of Counties
Croatian Chamber of Counties election, 1993
Chamber of Counties election were held for the first time in Croatia on 7 August 1993. The result was a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 37 of the 63 elected seats. Voter turnout was 64.3%.-Background:...
, which also coincided with the first election for newly formed Istria county
Istria County
Istria County is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian peninsula . The area of the county is called Istra in Croatian and Slovene...
, state-controlled media launched an unprecedented media blitz directed almost exclusively at Istria. This effort spectacularly backfired as Istrian voters gave almost three quarters of their votes to IDS. After that no party challenged IDS supremacy in Istria, at least not directly.
The main policy of the IDS is intercession of cultural and economical identity of Istria and equal status for Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
in Istria. This was in opposition to Tuđman and his hard-line nationalism. Other Croatian political parties were more pragmatic, and IDS cooperated with them in the Croatian Parliament and during elections. In Istria, however, IDS is bitterly opposed by local branches of SDP, as well as their former member and first Istrian prefect Luciano Delbianco who had defected and formed a new party called Istrian Democratic Forum.
IDS was briefly part of the national government following 2000 parliamentary
Croatian parliamentary election, 2000
Elections for the Chamber of Representatives of the Croatian Parliament were held on January 3, 2000. These were the first elections to be held after the expiration of a full term of the previous Chamber....
and presidential
Croatian presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 24 January 2000. As no candidate passed the 50% threshold, a secound round was held on 7 February, the first time a second round had been required in the country's history. The result was a victory for Stjepan Mesić of the Croatian People's Party, who...
elections. One year later, IDS, dissatisfied with the way Ivica Račan
Ivica Racan
Ivica Račan was a Croatian career politician, leader of the League of Communists of Croatia and later Social Democratic Party from 1989 to 2007...
and his coalition partners treated Istria, left the government, although they continued to support it in Parliament.
In 2006, IDS joined the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR).