Political Elites and Urban Social Movements in Croatia: Political Opportunities of the Citizens’ Initiative Srđ is Ours

Abstract

The Srđ je nas (Srđ is Ours) citizens’ initiative was the first Right to the City movement in Croatia that was using the political strategy of local referenda against a local infrastructure project. Although more than 80% of voters in the referendum voted against the project, due to the required voter turnout the referendum was not successful. Using the initiative’s official local newspaper and Internet sources about it, I analyze the political activities of the initiative. Additionally, I use McAdam’s approach (1996) to understand the events through political opportunity theory. I analyze events that describe Srđ is Ours’ political context: the referendum law, the excluding strategies of political elites and the role of allies within political elites. Through the analysis of the political context, I argue that the Croatian political system is closed both formally and informally, and that political elites use excluding strategies towards social movements in Croatia.