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Croatian Social Liberal Party
Croatian Social Liberal Party; Hrvatska socijalno liberalna stranka
Leader	Darinko Kosor
Founded	20 May 1989
Headquarters	Zagreb
Ideology	Social liberalism (officially),; Conservative liberalism
International affiliation	Liberal International
European affiliation	European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
Official colours	Yellow
Website
	http://www.hsls.hr
	Politics of Croatia; Political parties; Elections

Croatian Social Liberal Party (Croatian: Hrvatska socijalno liberalna stranka, HSLS) is a center-right party in Croatia.

The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president, elected in November 2009, is Darinko Kosor.

[edit] New history

The HSLS was formed on 20 May, 1989 as Croatian Social Liberal Union (Croatian: Hrvatski socijalno liberalni savez). It was the first Croatian political party formed after the reintroduction of multi-party system. As such it was part of Coalition of People's Accord during the first free elections in 1990. Its first leader was Slavko Goldstein, succeeded in 1990 by Dražen Budiša, who remained the leader until 1995. HSLS became the main opposition party after 1992 presidential and parliamentary elections and remained such until late 1990s.

In February 1996, Vlado Gotovac became the president of the party. However, in November 1997 Budiša became the president again, and a faction led by Gotovac split off to form the Liberal Party.

In 1998 HSLS created permanent coalition with SDP, which won elections two years later, replaced ruling Croatian Democratic Union and formed the new government together with four other parties.

However, after the party split in 2002 (the forming of Libra), HSLS left the government.

At the Croatian parliamentary election, 2003, an alliance of the HSLS and the Democratic Centre won 4.0% of the popular vote and 3 out of 151 seats. Two of these seats were held by the HSLS, down from 25 in 2000, causing Budiša to submit his resignation as president. After elections the HSLS supported the government of Ivo Sanader. In 2004, Ivan Čehok was elected party president.

After the Croatian local elections, 2005 it was announced that there are merger negotiations between HSLS and the Liberal Party. The latter dissolved itself, with membership and party infrastructure re-joining HSLS in January 2006. Đurđa Adlešič succeeded Ivan Čehok as the leader of reunited party.

Before the 2007 elections, HSLS, although still in government announced joint election ticket with opposition parties - Croatian Peasant Party and Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar. This coalition as a whole lost five seats compared to the previous election, but HSLS retained their two seats. They remained in the governing coalition under Ivo Sanader.

HSLS currently supports the government of Jadranka Kosor.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Croatian Social Liberal Party official site