The elections will be the third for the House of Representatives since the country's independence in 1991. Following the death of President Franjo Tudjman on December 10, presidential elections must also take place before February 9. Given the upheaval and war that attended the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, Tudjman's legacy of unbroken democratic governance in Croatia is a notable accomplishment. Yet Tudjman has also left in place a state which places serious limits on the civil and political rights of its citizens.
Universal suffrage is denied in practice to many of Croatia's Serb citizens.
Media freedom and the right to hold political rallies and public demonstrations are limited by poor legislation and government interference. The independence of the judiciary is curtailed by the ruling party. True democracy requires a society based on the rule of law, separation of powers, and respect for human rights. The 2000 parliamentary elections provide an opportunity to assess the state of democracy in Croatia after Tudjman, both in terms of the conduct of free and fair elections and of the broader civil and political rights that democracy encompasses. On the eve of parliamentary elections, Croatia faces an ongoing democracy deficit.