^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Social Democratic Party of Croatia

Socijaldemokratska partija hrvatske, SDP

by Željko Heimer, 8 May 2005

Overview
Previous Flag
Social Democratic Party of Croatia, SDH (1989 - 1994)

See also:

Overview

Established: Zagreb, 3 November 1990. Members: 1995 (18.000-20.000), 1996 (7.000-8.000), 1997 (7.000-8.000), 1998 (9.000-10.000), 1999 (15.000), 2001 (25.000), 2002 (30.000), 2004 (25.000). Members in Croatian Parliament: 1992-1995 - 6 (4,34%) 1995-1999 - 8 (6,25%), 2000 - 46 (30,46%), 2002 - 44 (29,15%), 2003 - 44 (29,14%), 2004 - 29 (19,08%). Member of the Socialist Inetrnational (SI).
The party is the legal sucessor of the League of Communits (SKH, Savez komunista Hrvatske), renamed in 1989 to SKH-SDP (Savez komunista Hrvatske - Stranka demokratskih promjena) when it organized the first multiparty ellections. Soon the name was changed to the current one, and in 1994 it merged with SDH (Socijaldemokratska stranka Hrvatske). Ivica Racan, its leadaer since 1980's was the prime-minier in the coalition governemnt 2000-2004. Since the miltiparty election the party droped the communist symbols and began using the new ones: White flag with large black initials SDP (in Times type font) and three squares red, blue and green. typically the flags were also inscribed below the emblem with the full name of the party (see Previous Flag). This is determined for example in the Statutes (Statut SDP, 08.05.2004 <www.sdp.hr>). On the party convention on 8 may 2004 a new design of the party symbols were adopted, the new emblem being the red square with slanted boldtype letters SDP (reintroducing the colour red as the symbols of European socaildemocracy and in line with other SD symbols). It is determined in the Statutory decision on the emblems (Statutarna odluka o znaku, 8 May 2004 <www.sdp.hr>; to be approved by the next party conference as part of the new statutes) and is used legally since 1 January 2005. The flag is described there quite terse just as a flag in raio 1:2 of white filed with the party emblem in it. However, the flags hoisted on the party headquarters on the Ibler Square in Zagreb (and I believe they are changed gradually on other party buildings throughout the country) are a bit more complex. The flag is white with the party emblem twice forming the chequy filed in the fly half of the flag, while the hoist half includes the full name of the party inscribed in black letters aliong the top edge. The flag is using an interesting solution to the doublesidedness - the reverse side is turned upside down, so the inscription is running along the lower edge - providing absolutely readable design if the flag was hoisted vertically, but also not quite bad is the flag is hoisted slanted at 45 degrees, that is usual way of hoisting flag on buildings over here.
Željko Heimer, 8 May 2005

Previous Flag

by Željko Heimer, 8 May 2005

The flag is white with the party emblem consisting of three squares red, blue and green and black initials SDP. Below the initials sometimes is inscirbed in miniature letters full name of the party.
Željko Heimer

Social Democratic Party of Croatia, SDH (1989 - 1994)

by Željko Heimer

In use since 1989. Abandoned: 30 April 1994. The flag is the Croatian tricolour with the party emblem in the middle, consisiting of initials SDH and a red rose. White flag with the emblem was also occasionally in use. The flag was abandoned in 1994 when the party merged with SDP.
Željko Heimer