Independent Democratic Serb Party

Independent Democratic Serb Party
Samostalna demokratska srpska stranka
Самостална демократска српска странка
President Vojislav Stanimirović
Vice-president Milorad Pupovac
Founded 1997 (1997)
Headquarters Vukovar, Croatia
Ideology Serb minority politics
Social democracy
Anti-fascism
Pro-Europeanism
Political position Centre-left
European Parliament group Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats[1]
Colours Blue, red and white / grey
Sabor
3 / 151
Website
sdss.hr

The Independent Democratic Serb Party (Croatian: Samostalna demokratska srpska stranka, SDSS, Serbian: Самостална демократска српска странка) is a social democratic political party of Croatian Serbs.

History

It was formed in 1997 led by Vojislav Stanimirović. In the Croatian parliamentary election, 2003, it beat its main rival, the Serb People's Party (SNS), taking all three seats reserved for Serb representatives in the Croatian parliament.

After the elections, the Independent Democratic Serb Party made an agreement with the winning Croatian Democratic Union led by Ivo Sanader in which they agreed on fulfilling several SDSS demands such as refugee return, strengthening of national equality, judicial reform and cooperation with neighbouring countries. In the Croatian parliamentary election, 2007, they retained their three seats in the Parliament. In the Cabinet of Ivo Sanader II, their member Slobodan Uzelac received the position of vice-president of government. In the Croatian parliamentary election, 2011, they again won their three seats in the Parliament on the Serbian minority electoral list.

Electoral results

Croatian Parliament
Year % of popular vote Overall seats won District XII Government
2003 1.99%
3 / 151
3 / 8
 opposition
2007 2.0%
3 / 151
3 / 8
 government
2011 2.0%
3 / 151
3 / 8
 government support
2015 2.0%
3 / 151
3 / 8
 opposition
2016 2.0%
3 / 151
3 / 8
 government support

Self-definition

The SDSS is a democratic party of liberal and social democratic orientation, but in the present circumstances, it is also a Serb national party.

Political goals:

  1. Refugee return, especially of Serbs; finishing renewal of war damaged areas
  2. The right to buy earlier state-owned flats, under earlier legislation (before peaceful reintegration of Croatian Podunavlje, when deadline for buying state-owned flats ended)
  3. State protection and securing of existing rights of national minorities, especially Serbs in Croatia
  4. Cultural and educational autonomy of Serbs in Croatia, through use of Serbian language and writings, use of Serbian national symbols, education in Serbian, foundation of Serb organizations in education and culture, foundation of Serbian information media and the maintaining of Serbian traditions and customs
  5. Professionalization of the armed forces
  6. Regionalism and decentralization
  7. Croatian integration into the EU and developing economic relations with Serbia

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hrvatski sabor - Zastupnici promatrači Hrvatskoga sabora u Europskom parlamentu" (in Croatian). Sabor.hr. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
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