The campaign for the December 4 parliamentary election officially began at midnight on Wednesday and will last until midnight on December 2, when an election blackout will begin and last until polling stations close at 7 pm on December 4.
A total of 151 deputies will be elected to the seventh Sabor, two less than in the previous parliament. Citizens will elect 14 deputies in 10 constituencies each. Three deputies will be elected in Constituency No. 11, where Croats living abroad are eligible to vote, and eight deputies representing national minorities will be elected in Constituency No. 12.
The State Election Commission received 315 lists of candidates, of which 286 party slates (205 independent and 81 coalition slates) and 29 independent slates. After checking their validity, the Commission approved 313 lists (285 party and 28 independent slates), namely 204 independent and 81 coalition slates.
Forty-nine candidates submitted slates for Constituency No. 12 - 42 party and seven independent slates. The Commission approved 48 candidacies with 56 candidates running.
Sixty-three parties, of the 116 entered into the Register of Political Parties, and 28 individuals submitted their slates to the Commission.
Compliance with the rules of conduct by parties and individuals will be monitored by the Ethics Commission, which adopted the Election Code of Ethics.
The Code does not allow calling for violence, spreading hatred on national, religious or racial grounds, or inciting gender inequality. Candidates should not underestimate the Croatian system of free elections or obstruct and prevent the complete and free expression of the voters' will. They should also not spread any ill-intentioned or unfounded accusations against any other candidate, lie or make insinuations about political opponents, belittle opponents over physical, mental or other qualities, or lie or make insinuations about the opponents' private life and their families.
The Ethics Commission says voters are entitled to receive in all means of public communication objective information about political parties and candidates, and that political parties and candidates are entitled to equal electoral competition.
For the last parliamentary election, held on 25 November 2007, the State Election Commission received 251 lists of candidates, of which 235 party and 16 independent slates submitted by 55 parties and by 46 coalitions. At that time, 101 party was entered into the Register of Political Parties, 15 less than now, and the Commission did not approve two slates.
