Radić presidency The Croatian People's Peasant Party (
Hrvatska pučka seljačka stranka, HPSS) was established in 1904 by brothers
Stjepan Radić and
Antun Radić in the
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia – itself a part of the
Hungarian part of the
dualist Austria-Hungary at the time. The founding of the HPSS was a part of the process of fragmentation of the . The party pursued the establishment of a comprehensive
grassroots network, national unity and
agrarianism, as the Radić's distrusted traditional political parties. Even though the HPSS achieved only minor significance before the end of
World War I, the party gradually became a mass movement after 1918. This gave it the central role in the completion of Croatian national integration. The HPSS platform of
antimilitarism and
pacifism became very popular in the final year of the war, especially in Croatia-Slavonia, which was affected by widespread
unrest associated with the Green Cadres. Furthermore, the restricted voting rights were expanded after 1918 by the introduction of
universal manhood suffrage, allowing the proportionally large peasant population (80% of Croatia-Slavonia at the time) to predominantly vote for the HPSS. Antun Radić died in 1919, leaving Stjepan as the sole leader of the HPSS. After the war, following the
1920 Croatian Peasant Rebellion, the HPSS became the only significant political party in Croatia, and the second largest party in the newly established
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed Yugoslavia). In 1920s, the HPSS policy was based on
republicanism, opposition to further unification of the new state, demands for a neutral Croat peasant republic, and the advocation of
national self-determination. To reinforce the republican message, the HPSS was formally renamed the Croatian Republican Peasant Party in 1920. Shortly following its accession to the
Peasant International, the regime initiated a campaign to suppress the party activities in the run up to the
1925 Yugoslav parliamentary election using political, police, military and paramilitary pressure, and arresting its leaders. Even though the party achieved the second-largest share of seats, the government retained its parliamentary majority. Nonetheless, shortly after the election, there were negotiations between Radić and
King Alexander's envoys. The talks ended in Radić renouncing republicanism and accepting the monarchy in return for his release and participation in a coalition government led by the
People's Radical Party (NRS). The party was renamed the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS). Radić later admitted that he accepted the monarchy to protect his people. The HSS had little real influence in the coalition government which lasted until 1927. At the same time, the Radić's participation in the coalition was criticised in Croatia and in the HSS – although not sufficiently to threaten his leadership. A part of the membership split in protest, forming the Croatian Federalist Peasant Party. The
Communist Party of Yugoslavia (
Komunistička partija Jugoslavije, KPJ) also criticised Radić for his cooperation with the regime. The KPJ had recently adopted the federalist approach to reform of the country and saw the republican movement of the HRSS as a potential recruitment pool. The HSS conversely, regardless of KPJ's formal federalist policy, saw the KPJ as unitarists and essentially a political endeavour to promote Serbian agenda. The HSS left the government in January 1927. Radić resumed pursuit of resolution of the
Croatian question by advocating unification of Croatian lands including
Slavonia and
Dalmatia into a single self-governing unit and stopping Italian immigration by abolishing the 1925
Treaty of Nettuno. In November, the HSS formed the Peasant-Democratic Coalition with the
Independent Democratic Party (
Samostalna demokratska stranka, SDS), the most popular party among the
Serbs of Croatia. Tense relations between the opposition and the government deteriorated further until a shouting match in the parliament escalated to the point where NRS deputy
Puniša Račić shot several HSS parliament members killing two and wounding three including Radić on 20 June 1928. Radić suggested that the shootings were a result of a regime plan and that the HSS should abandon pacifism. Soon afterwards, Radić died of the wounds on 8 August. Following the assassinations, the Yugoslav state lost any legitimacy among Croats – who appeared united in demands for overhaul of the state. HSS thus became the only major political party among Croats.
Vladko Maček was elected to replace Radić almost immediately after his death.
Maček presidency Under Maček, the HSS continued political opposition to the regime. The which included the HSS, stood in
1935 and
1938 Yugoslavian parliamentary election. In the latter, the United Opposition won the majority of votes, but due to operation of the election law, it received 67 out of 373 seats in the parliament. Prompted by the failure of the government to secure the
rule of law and public order, the HSS established the (HSZ) as a party
paramilitary force in 1936. The force was established to protect Croats against paramilitaries supported or tolerated by the regime. The force was also designed as a response to Ustaše challenge for dominance among Croats as a force capable of providing physical protection following the
Velebit uprising. It was meant to demonstrate that the HSS is not a pacifist organisation resigned to passivity. In cities, the HSZ operated under the name of Croatian Civil Defence. In 1936 and 1937, Maček unsuccessfully negotiated with Regent
Prince Paul Prime Minister Milan Stojadinović with the aim of consolidation of Croatian lands within Yugoslavia – with a degree of autonomy. Then, after contacting several European governments and failing to get their support, he turned to
Italian foreign minister
Galeazzo Ciano in 1938. Through an intermediary, Maček explained the HSS wanted Croatia united as a federal unit of Yugoslavia encompassing territories of former Croatia–Slavonia to a line between
Ilok and
Sremska Mitrovica, and Dalmatia without the
Bay of Kotor with the addition of
Bosnia and Herzegovina west of
Vrbas and
Neretva Rivers. At the time, Italy was harbouring and supporting Croatian nationalist group
Ustaše, but Ciano preferred to work with Maček because the HSS enjoyed far greater support among Croats and because Ciano believed that would discourage contacts between the HSS and
Nazi Germany – denying German access to the
Adriatic Sea. Ciano wrote back to Maček urging him to demand more territory and elaborate on his ideas. In 1939, Stojadinović was replaced by
Dragiša Cvetković and Maček contacted him with the same request. The two reached a preliminary agreement, but Prince Paul vetoed the idea objecting to partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Maček then wrote back to Ciano explaining that he seeks status of a federal unit for Croatia within Yugoslavia, with joint foreign affairs, defence, central bank, state monopolies, and customs. He modified the territorial demands by moving the Vrbas line to the
Bosna River. In return, the Italian Foreign Ministry drafted a document offering Maček a loan to finance an uprising which the HSS would launch and then invite Italian military intervention. The plan also envisaged establishment of a Croatian state under Italian protection. Maček wrote back declining the offer and saying that was not what he asked for and that he had struck a deal with Cvetković government in the meantime. The
Cvetković–Maček Agreement was concluded on 26 August 1939 establishing autonomous
Banovina of Croatia. Maček became the deputy prime minister of Yugoslavia and several members of the Peasant–Democratic Coalition were added to the cabinet. The agreement angered Ustaše who launched a propaganda campaign against Maček and the HSS as traitors of Croatian interests while Italy switched its support back to Ustaše.
World War II and afterwards The party's fortunes declined precipitously with the outbreak of
World War II and the
Axis invasion in April 1941. Some party members were divided among those who sympathized with the Croatian fascist
Ustasha independence movement, and those whose left-leaning beliefs led them to join the
Partisans. But the vast majority of HSS supporters remained passive and neutral for the duration of the war as the Ustasha, the communist Partisans and the royalist
Chetniks fought for control. After the communist victory, the KPJ established one-party rule — the HSS, along with other political parties were declared illegal. In 1947, HSS joined the
International Peasants' Union. Maček represented the HSS in exile until his death in 1964.
Juraj Krnjević took over as leader until his own death 1988, only a year before the HSS could resume its work within Croatia.
Modern party With the advent of multi-party system in 1990, the HSS was reconstituted by
Ivan Zvonimir Čičak and on the
1990 election won several seats in the
Croatian Parliament. They remained in opposition until the
2000 elections when they received three ministerial portfolios as part of their participation in the winning
Social Democratic Party of Croatia-led coalition. On elections 2000 HSS led center coalition alongside IDS-HNS-LS and Coalition won 25 seats in parliament with 17 seats for HSS (16 domestic and one minority seat). After the elections HSS formed coalition with SDP and had three ministers in government (education, agriculture and entrepreneurship), vice president of government and
Speaker of Croatian Parliament,
Zlatko Tomčić. On local elections 2001. HSS achieved its best results ever and won 8 out of 21 county prefects (župan) and lot of municipalities and towns and became party which was second in number of local elected officials. Today, the HSS considers itself among other center European political parties that advocate pro-agrarian policies and greater
economic interventionism by the state. On social matters the HSS is largely conservative, supporting a Christian-based morality in public life. HSS is an associate member of the
European People's Party (EPP). At the
elections in November 2003, the party won 7.2% of the popular vote and 10 out of 151 seats (nine domestic seats and one minority seat). Before the
2007 parliamentary elections, HSS announced a coalition with opposition parties
Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and
Croatian Social Liberal Party. The coalition received 6.5% of the popular vote and 8 out of 153 seats (six for HSS itself). After elections they became part of
Ivo Sanader's governing coalition and received two ministerial portfolios (regional development and tourism), vicepresident of government and vicepresident of Parliament. On
2011 parliamentary elections party score worst result in party's history receiving only one parliamentary seat and 3% of popular vote. Party convention 28 January 2012 elected
Branko Hrg as new president. In 2014 Croatian Peasant Party in coalition with
Croatian Democratic Union won one seat in European Parliament –
Marijana Petir. However, on 6 June 2017 Petir was expelled from Croatian Peasant Party, which left the party without seats in European Parliament. == Election results ==