Political Change and Polarization in Post-Yugoslav Successor States: The rise of the New Left in Croatia

After decades of leftist quiescence in the electoral arena, the emergence of new social movements has ultimately given rise to viable political alternatives in Croatia. This paper analyses the support of the New Left at the ballot box in the country, drawing upon original survey data collected in 2021. The findings indicate that the New Left garners greater support from younger, urban, and culturally liberal-minded individuals. Moreover, individuals who support the New Left do not favour more state intervention in the market. While parts of the New Left are therefore in favour of neoliberal policies, such a position needs to be interpreted in the context of high corruption and vast patronage networks. The findings are thus concomitant with recent qualitative studies on the case, pointing to a potential research avenue on untangling the mechanisms between corruption, individual attitudes and vote for the New Left.