March 1920 Zagreb local elections

On 21 March 1920 local elections were held in Zagreb, the first ones in the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The incumbent mayor was Stjepan Srkulj from the Croatian Union party, who took office in 1917. Svetozar Delić of the Socialist Workers' Party of Yugoslavia was elected mayor, but his term lasted only six days before being suspended by the government. New elections were called for 18 June 1920.

March 1920 Zagreb local elections

← 1917 21 March 1920 1920 →

50 seats to the Zagreb City Assembly
Turnout77.08%
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Svetozar Delić Stjepan Srkulj
Party Socialist Workers' Party of Yugoslavia Croatian Union
Seats won
20 / 50
15 / 50
Seat change Increase 20 Decrease 26
Popular vote 7,011 5,491
Percentage 39.27% 30.76%

Mayor before election

Stjepan Srkulj
HZ

Elected mayor

Svetozar Delić
SRPJ(k)

Results

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Political party Votes % Seats %
Socialist Workers' Party of Yugoslavia
Socijalistička radnička partija Jugoslavije
7,011 39.27% 20 40%
Croatian Union
Hrvatska zajednica
5,491 30.76% 15 30%
Democratic Party
Demokratska stranka
1,882 10.54% 5 10%
Croatian Party of Rights
Hrvatska stranka prava
955 5.35% 3 6%
Croatian Popular Party
Hrvatska pučka stranka
790 4.43% 2 4%
Jew Party
Židovska stranka
496 2.78% 2 4%
Croatian People's Peasant Party
Hrvatska pučka seljačka stranka
449 2.52% 1 2%
People's Socialist Party
Narodna socijalistička stranka
384 2.15% 1 2%
Social Democratic Party
Socijaldemokratska stranka
284 1.59% 1 2%
People's Radical Party
Narodna radikalna stranka
110 0.61% 0 0%
Total 17,950 100% 50 100%
Registered Voters/Turnout 23,290 77.08%

Mayoral elections

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At the meeting of the City Assembly on 16 April 1920 it was to be decided who will be the new mayor in a two-round voting system. In the first round of the vote Svetozar Delić of the Socialist Workers' Party of Yugoslavia (SRPJ(k)) gained 22 votes, incumbent mayor Stjepan Srkulj from the Croatian Union (HZ) received 14 votes, Ivan Ancel from the Democratic Party (DS) 4 votes, Milan Krešić from the DS one vote, and four ballots were not valid (empty).[1] Svetozar Delić and Stjepan Srkulj each failed to get more than 50%, but managed to get into the second round. The second round was won by Delić with 27 votes against Srkulj's 14.[2]

Aftermath

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The Croatian-Slavonian Provincial Government led by Croatian Ban Matko Laginja suspended the election of Svetozar Delić, relieving him of his duty, and named Dragutin Tončić as the government commissioner. On 20 April the government suspended the SRPJ(k) delegates and called for a new election for 20 seats in the City Assembly on 18 June 1920.[2] Dragutin Tončić was named the acting mayor on 5 May 1920.[3]

References

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  1. ^ HDAZ, GPZ, Predsjedništvo, Izbori za gradsko vijeće 1918. – 1927.
  2. ^ a b Mira Kolar-Dimitrijević (1984). "Svetozar Delić, komunistički gradonačelnik Zagreba 1920. godine". In Franjo Buntak; et al. (eds.). Iz starog i novog Zagreba (in Croatian). Vol. VI. Izdanja Muzeja grada Zagreba. pp. 223–234.
  3. ^ Zdenka ŠIMONČIĆ, Mjesna politička organizacija SRPJ/k/ Zagreba i izbori za Gradsko zastupstvo u Zagrebu 21. ožujka 1920. godine, Revolucionarni radnički pokret u Zagrebu između dva rata, Zagreb 1968., 170-196.. U istom zborniku o radu KPJ u Zagrebu vidi i rad: Ivan Jelić, Komunistička partija Jugoslavije u društveno-političkom razvoju Zagreba izmedđu dva svjetska rata, 9-45

See also

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