President of Croatia - Powers, Duties and Responsibilities

Powers, Duties and Responsibilities

See also: Constitution of Croatia and Politics of Croatia

The President of Croatia, officially styled the President of the Republic (Croatian: Predsjednik Republike) 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 Parliament of Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatski Sabor) 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, in order to receive a mandate to lead the Government of Croatia. The president may also call referenda, grant pardons and award decorations and other forms of recognition defined by legislation.