Homeland Movement Domovinski pokret | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | DP |
| President | Ivan Penava |
| Deputy President | Stipo Mlinarić |
| Secretary-General | Josip Dabro |
| Founder | Miroslav Škoro |
| Founded | 29 February 2020; 5 years ago (2020-02-29) |
| Headquarters | Vlaška ulica 81F,Zagreb |
| Membership(2022) | 8,434[1] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Right-wing[16] tofar-right[20] |
| European Parliament group | European Conservatives and Reformists Group (2024) |
| Colours | Grey (customary)[a] Red White Blue |
| Slogan | Ustani i ostani! ("Get up and stay!") |
| Sabor | 8 / 151 |
| European Parliament | 0 / 12 |
| County Prefects | 0 / 21 |
| Mayors | 1 / 128 |
| Municipalities | 0 / 428 |
| Website | |
| dp.hr | |
TheHomeland Movement (Croatian:Domovinski pokret; abbr. DP), previously known asMiroslav Škoro Homeland Movement (Croatian:Domovinski pokret Miroslava Škore; abbr. DPMŠ) until February 2021, is anationalist andright-wing populistpolitical party inCroatia.[13][14] The DP was founded by Croatian singer, formerCroatian Democratic Union MP, and2019–20 presidential election candidate,Miroslav Škoro, on 29 February 2020.
On 29 February 2020,Miroslav Škoro, a former MP who stood in therecent presidential election, confirmed to the media the formation of a new party, four and a half months before theparliamentary elections.[25] The DP tried to form a broad right-of-centre coalition for the upcoming election. They negotiated withthe Bridge, but no agreement was reached.[26] A coalition was formed with several other parties, including the conservativeCroatian Sovereignists, which was established to contest the2019 European elections, and the newly foundedBloc for Croatia.[27] A coalition agreement was also signed with theGreen List, emphasizing "environmental protection and the fight againstclimate change".[28]
On 20 July 2021, Miroslav Škoro resigned as party president over a dispute over party finances. This was soon followed by disciplinary proceedings against Škoro and his sister Vesna Vučemilović, which is why they decided to leave the party.[29][30]
On 9 October 2021,Mayor ofVukovar,Ivan Penava was elected the new party president.[31]
In the2024 Croatian parliamentary election, the DP led a coalition withLaw and Justice and two independent members of theSabor won 14 seats, becoming the third largest faction.[32] The rulingCroatian Democratic Union (HDZ)'s coalition only earned 61 seats, needing 76 to form a government.[33] As such, the DP was courted by both the HDZ, and the main opposition, theSocial Democratic Party (SDP) andRivers of Justice coalition led byZoran Milanović who attempted to form a broad "national salvation" government of every party against the HDZ. As such the party has been described as thekingmaker, as whichever coalition they join, the HDZ or SDP, would earn enough seats to form a government.[32] However, on 27 April, after having coalition negotiations with both parties, the HDZPrime MinisterAndrej Plenković announced that the DP would be joining their coalition "in the coming days."[34]
The second internal party elections were expected at the beginning of 2025, but the current president Ivan Penava made a decision at the end of July that the Electoral Parliament will be held on 31 August 2024. Since then, there has been an open conflict in the party between two currents, the first led by party president Ivan Penava and the second, led by Deputy PresidentMario Radić, who is outraged by the date of the elections, but above all by the manner in which they are conducted. Criticism of the method of election of the Electoral Parliament was directed by representative and president of theZagreb branch, Igor Peternel, considering the method of election undemocratic because branches inclined to Penava received a larger number of delegates. For example, the will of the members of the Zagreb branch will be represented by five delegates, four fromOsijek-Baranja will participate, and theVukovar-Srijem branch will have as many as nine delegates. Stipo Mlinarić ran for Penava's deputy, and Igor Peternel for Radić. Harsh words, accusations, and even criminal charges have been pouring in from both camps for the past month, which, many warn, could lead to a split in the party. In addition to objections to the determination of quotas, Radić's camp also fears manipulation of votes during the elections and the bias of electoral commission members because, they point out, they participated in the campaign for Penava. Penava has support of all three DP ministers in government and nine out od eleven MP's[35]
After only 20 minutes of the Electoral Session, Mario Radić, together with Peternel and other supporters, left the hall after there was a disagreement about the voting method. Radić demanded asecret ballot and that people who support him also sit in the election commission, in order to prevent possible theft of votes. However, Penava, who had most of his people in the commission, proposed that the vote be public by a show of hands. As Penava's proposal passed, Radić and the people around him demonstratively left the session. There were 64 delegates left at the session, who then unanimously elected Ivan Penava as president and Stipo Mlinarić as deputy president of the party.[36][37]
At the end of the election process, several members of the party who supported Radić publicly stepped forward and announced their departure from the DP, includingStephen Nikola Bartulica,MEP andŽeljko Pervan, who posted a video onFacebook in which he cut his membership card.[38][39]
The DP is variously consideredconservative,right-wing populist andnationalist. The party competed in the2020 Croatian parliamentary election in a coalition with several other minor right-wing tofar-right parties, including theCroatian Conservative Party,Croatian Growth andBloc for Croatia.[3] It is also a vocal opponent ofWe can! and theIndependent Democratic Serb Party.[40]
The party is in favour of theEuropean Union and theSchengen Area but was opposed to theeuro. The party is also againstabortion andsame-sex marriage. During 2022, the party expressed support forUkraine, but was opposed to allowing military training of theArmed Forces of Ukraine in Croatia.[41]
| # | President | Term start | Term end | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miroslav Škoro | .jpg) | 29 February 2020 | 20 July 2021 | |
| – | Mario Radić (acting) | .png) | 20 July 2021 | 9 October 2021 | |
| 2 | Ivan Penava | .png) | 9 October 2021 | Incumbent | |
| Election | Candidate | 1st round | 2nd round | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| 2024–25 | end.Dragan Primorac (Ind.) | 314,663 | 19.35 (#2) | 380,752 | 25.32 (#2) | Lost |
| Election | Leader | Coalition | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coalition | DP | ||||||
| 2020 | Miroslav Škoro | HS–HKS–HRAST–BzH–ZL–SU | 181,492 | 10.89% | 11 / 151 | New | Opposition |
| 2024 | Ivan Penava | PiP–BzH–ZL | 202,714 | 9.56% | 11 / 151 |  0 | Coalition |
| Election | List leader | Coalition | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coalition | DP | ||||||
| 2024 | Ivan Penava | None | 66,541 | 8.84 (#3) | 1 / 12 | New | ECR |
