Independent Platform of the North

Independent Platform of the North
Nezavisna platforma Sjever
AbbreviationNPS
PresidentMatija Posavec
FounderMatija Posavec
FoundedMarch 2021
Split fromCroatian People's Party
HeadquartersPark Rudolfa Kropeka 2, Čakovec
IdeologyRegionalism
Political positionCentre
National affiliationOur Croatia (2024)
Colors  Teal (customary)
  Green,   Blue
Slogan"Sjever dolazi"[1]
("The North is coming")
Sabor
2 / 151
European Parliament
0 / 12
County Prefects
1 / 21
Mayors
1 / 128
Website
platformasjever.hr

The Independent Platform of the North (Croatian: Nezavisna Platforma Sjever, NPS) is a regionalist political party in Croatia led by Matija Posavec, the prefect of Međimurje County since 2013. Its headquarters is located in Čakovec. Initially founded as an electoral list in March 2021 prior to that year's local elections, it took on its current name in July 2023.[2]

The party is positioned on the political centre and seeks to gather independent lists from the region.[1]

Posavec was previously a member of the social liberal Croatian People's Party (HNS) and its Međimurje branch leader, until he left in 2019. He resigned as county prefect in September 2021 after a bribery affair was revealed and he was arrested. He initially confessed to accepting a 10 thousand kuna bribe, but later retracted the confession and successfully ran for a new mandate as county prefect in a special election. He was re-elected during the 2021 Croatian local elections in the first round.[3]

NPS won two seats in the Croatian Parliament at the 2024 Croatian parliamentary election.[4] The party was a part of the Our Croatia alliance.[5] After the election, the two NPS deputies formed a joint parliamentary club with the Centre.[6]

  1. ^ a b "Nezavisna platforma Sjever predstavila program: 'Očekujemo tri mandata'". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). Večernji list. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Stranka Matije Posavca dobila novo ime – Nezavisna Platforma Sjever (NPS)". Nezavisna Platforma Sjever (in Croatian). 26 July 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Tko je Matija Posavec? Bio je najmlađi župan, na izborima za Sabor iznenadio je mnoge, ali ni njegova karijera nije bez mrlja". dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). Nova TV. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  4. ^ Tesija, Vuk (18 April 2024). "Croatia's HDZ Emerges Front-Runner in Election but Lacks a Majority". Balkan Insight.
  5. ^ "Stranke potpisale suradnju; Vidović: Nećemo nikoga pljuvati, obraćamo se uljeđenom dijelu". tportal.hr (in Croatian). Tportal. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Dubravko Bilić i međimurski poduzetnik Ivica Baksa zastupnici su Nezavisne platforme Sjever". evarazdin.hr (in Croatian). 15 May 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.