The president of Croatia, officially the president of the Republic of Croatia (), is the head of state of Croatia. The president serves as the commander-in-chief of the Croatian Armed Forces and functions as the chief representative of the nation. The office ranks first in the Croatian order of precedence, above the Croatian Prime Minister and Croatian Parliament Speaker. The president yields authority and responsibility to the Croatian Government – led by the prime minister – which is considered the most powerful seat in the Croatian political system. The prime minister directs domestic policy, economic policy, and fiscal policy, collaborating with the president on joint oversight of defence policy and foreign policy.
The president has the power to call ordinary and extraordinary elections for the Croatian Parliament, as well as to call referendums. The president formally appoints the prime minister, grants pardons and awards decorations. The president appoints the director of the Security and Intelligence Agency in agreement with the prime minister. The president may dissolve the parliament under constitutional circumstances. Although enjoying immunity, the president is impeachable for violation of the Constitution. The speaker of the Parliament is first in the presidential line of succession.
The president is elected on the basis of universal suffrage, through a secret ballot, for a five-year term. If no candidate in the elections secures more than 50% of all votes cast , a runoff election is held. The constitution sets a limit of a maximum of two terms in office. The president-elect is required to take an oath of office before the judges of the Constitutional Court. Franjo Tuđman won the first Croatian presidential elections in 1992 and in 1997. The constitution adopted in 1990 provided for a semi-presidential system and was later converted into a parliamentary system in 1999. The president works out of the Presidential Palace in the Pantovčak area of Zagreb.
List of office-holders
This is a graphical timeline listing of the presidents of Croatia since the first multi-party elections in 1990.
Powers, duties and responsibilities
The president of Croatia, officially styled President of the Republic () represents the Republic of Croatia in the country and abroad as the head of state, maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The president is barred from executing any other public or professional duty while in office.
The president of Croatia calls elections for the Croatian Parliament () and convenes the first meeting of the parliamentary assembly. The president is also required to appoint a prime minister, on the basis of the balance of power in the parliament. The appointed candidate is in turn required to seek confirmation from the parliament through a confidence vote, to receive a mandate to lead the Croatian Government (after given confidence by the absolute majority of the MPs, the president formally appoints the candidate as Prime Minister, while PM appoints ministers; all with the countersignature of the speaker of the Croatian Parliament). The president may also call referendums, grant pardons and award decorations and other forms of recognition defined by legislation.
Foreign affairs
The president of Croatia and the Government cooperate in the formulation and implementation of Croatia's foreign policy. This provision of the constitution is an occasional source of conflict between the president and the government. The president decides on the establishment of diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Croatia abroad, at the Government's proposal and with the countersignature of the prime minister. The president, following prior countersignature of the prime minister, appoints and recalls diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Croatia, at the proposal of the Government and upon receiving the opinion of an applicable committee of the parliament. The president receives letters of credence and letters of recall from foreign diplomatic representatives.
National security and defense
The president of Croatia is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Croatia and appoints and relieves military commanders of duty, esp. the chief of general staff, conforming to applicable legislation. The President confers ranks on (and promotes) commissioned officers and generals/admirals, upon minister's proposal.
The president cooperates with the government directing operation of the Croatian security and intelligence system. The president and the prime minister jointly appoint heads of the security agencies, and the president may attend cabinet meetings, taking part in discussions held at such meetings. The president and the prime minister jointly convene Defense Council as well as the National Security Council; the president chairs these councils and their meetings.
The president of Croatia is supported in his defense and national security duties and responsibilities by the Military Cabinet (Vojni ured) as a part of the Office of the President, staffed by commissioned officers. The President works closely with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
War and state of emergency Pursuant to decisions of the parliament, the president declares war and concludes peace. In cases of immediate threats to the independence, unity and existence of the state, the president may order the use of armed forces, even if no state of war is declared, provided that such an order is countersigned by the prime minister. During a state of war, the president may promulgate regulations with the force of law on the basis of, and within the scope of, authority obtained from the parliament. In such circumstances, the president may convene government cabinet meetings and preside over them. If the parliament is not in session, the president is authorized to regulate all matters required by the state of war through regulations carrying the force of law. In case of an immediate threat to the independence, unity and existence of the state, or if the governmental bodies are prevented from performing their constitutional duties regularly, the president may, at the proposal of the prime minister, issue regulations carrying the force of law. Such regulations must also be countersigned by the prime minister to become valid. The president is required to submit regulations that are promulgated thus to the parliament for approval as soon as the parliament may convene, otherwise the regulations become void.
Dissolution of parliament
The president of Croatia may dissolve Parliament upon the request of the government if the government proposes a confidence motion to Parliament and the majority of all deputies adopt a motion of no confidence or if Parliament fails to approve government budget 120 days after the budget is proposed in the parliament. That decision must be countersigned by the prime minister to become valid. The president may also dissolve Parliament after a motion of no confidence supported by a majority of all deputies has been adopted and a new government cannot be formed within 30 days or if a new government cannot be formed after general elections (maximum period of 120 days). However, the president may not dissolve Parliament at the request of the government if a procedure to determine if the president has violated provisions of the constitution is in progress.
Office of the President
The Office of the President of the Republic () consists of the immediate staff of the president of Croatia, as well as support staff reporting to the president. As of May 2008, the office employed 170 staff, with the maximum staffing level set at 191 by the Regulation on Internal Organisation of the Office of the President of Croatia. In the 2025 government budget, the office was allocated 9.76 million euros. The net monthly salary of the president is 6,074 euros.
The Office of the President was created by a presidential decree by Franjo Tuđman on 19 January 1991. The office is headed by a chief of staff (), who is appointed by the president. The presidents declare bylaws regulating composition of the office. The office employs advisors to the president and comprises 7 cabinets, two councils, the Secretariat and two decorations and awards commissions.
+Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia Position Name Chief of Staff Orsat Miljenić Head of the Cabinet of the President Bartol Šimunić Secretary General of the Office of the President Dinko Suton Spokesperson of the Office of the President Nikola Jelić Chief of Protocol of the President Dragana Podner Adviser to the President for Defense Ivica Olujić Adviser to the President for National Security Dragan Lozančić Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić Adviser to the President for Education Jadranka Žarković Special Adviser to the President for the Economy Velibor Mačkić Special Adviser to the President for Energy and Climate Julije Domac Special Adviser to the President for Culture Zdravko Zima Commissioner of the President for Sports Tomislav Paškvalin
+Chiefs of Staff of the PresidentChief of StaffTerm startTerm endAppointed byHrvoje Šarinić 15 April 19927 August 1992Franjo Tuđman Jure Radić7 August 199212 October 1994Hrvoje Šarinić12 October 199424 November 1995Ivo Sanader 24 November 19955 November 1996Hrvoje Šarinić 5 November 19961998Ivica Kostović1998January 2000Željko Dobranović22 May 200027 April 2001Stjepan MesićDavor Božinović10 February 200430 September 2005Boris Šprem1 October 2005late 2007Amir Muharemi1 April 200839 4.4.2008 Odluka o imenovanju predstojnika Ureda Predsjednika Republike Hrvatske , published by Narodne novine19 February 2010Joško Klisović19 February 201031 December 2011 Ivo JosipovićVito Turšić1 February 2012 18 February 2015Domagoj Juričić19 February 2015 2 May 2016 Kolinda Grabar-KitarovićAnamarija Kirinić2 May 201618 February 2020Orsat Miljenić18 February 2020 Zoran Milanović
Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace (, also referred to by the metonym Pantovčak) in Zagreb is the official workplace of the president. The president does not actually live in the building, as it is used as the Office of the President of Croatia rather than as a residence. The structure covers . It had been used as the official residence since then-president Franjo Tuđman moved there following the October 1991 bombing of Banski dvori. In addition to the original building, there is also an annex built in 1993, an ancillary structure housing office security services and a bomb shelter predating the 1990s. The building, formerly known as Villa Zagorje or Tito's Villa, was designed by architects Vjenceslav Richter and Kazimir Ostrogović and completed in 1964 for the former Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito.
Election and taking office Presidential inaugurations President Date NoteFranjo Tuđman 12 August 1992 first term 12 August 1997 second termStjepan Mesić 19 February 2000 first term 19 February 2005 second term Ivo Josipović 19 February 2010 one term Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović 19 February 2015 one term Zoran Milanović 19 February 2020 first term 19 February 2025 second term