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Since restoration of independence in 1991, six presidents held office. Freddy Sanken is the first head of an independent country and also the longest-served president, youngest elected and has longest post-presidency. 3 presidents belonged to the nationalist party "United Croatia", 1 was independent and 2 people left-wing "Podemos" members. Jakob Zinkeern held office shorter than any people. Tim Mathijs is current and 6th head of state.

Country became independent on 25 June 1991 and Freddy Sanken was appointed as a president by Independence Council the next day. On 30 June 1991, he was inaugurated.

By days (1991–present)

† as of 8 November 2024

Rolling format

Days	Longest consecutive period	Political party	Surname
4778	4778	I	Freddy Sanken
4026	4026	Croatia	Alina Golubec
1462	1462	Croatia	Karel Kerezic
1362	1362	Croatia	Roland Ernel
462 †	462 †	Netherlands	Tim Mathijs
101	101	Netherlands	Jakob Zinkeern

Freddy Sanken, official portrait, 1991.

Tim Mathijs, official portrait, 2023.

Leaders by years

• 1. Freddie Sanken b.1960 (1991-2004)
• 2. Alina Golubec b.1937 (2004-2015)
• 3. Roland Ernel b.1959 (2015-2019)
• 4. Jakob Zinkeern b.1977 (2019)
• 5. Karel Kerezic b.1982 (2019-2023)
• 6. Tim Mathijs b.1973 (2023-present)

Vice-presidents

• 1. Aleksandar Aleksić (1999-2004)
• 2. Krista Sukic (2004-2019)
• 3. Maks Bernard (2019)
• 4. Alvid Venckic (2019-2023)
• 5. Dahlia Lima (2023-present)

Tim Mathijs

Tim Mathijs (born 1 August 1973) is a Dutch politician who has been 6th and current president since 5 August 2023.

Mathijs is the first only nation's leader, who before becoming president, was a governor. He became a senator in 1999 and worked as Enschede governor from 2007 to 2010.

Furthermore, Mathijs lost presidential nominations in 2012 (to Donat Grizan) and 2019 (to future leader Jakob Zinkeern), before winning this and then defeated nationalist president Karel Kerezic.

During his sixth week after the inauguration, Mathijs brushed with death, when he had brain bleeding and survived slot removal with surgery.

After two months recovering at home in Amsterdam, Mathijs returned to work and shortly became longest serving Podemos president before marking one year in office in August 2024.

He was sworn on 5 August 2023.

On 11 September 2023, six weeks after starting work, Mathijs was rushed to hospital. It was later announced that he had undergone surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. Doctors named surgery "life saving". After surgery, Mathijs was transferred to the intensive care. Former president Jacob Zinkeern, party members Jasper Vidam and Dahlia Lima and consul Temirlan Erlanov visited him in the hospital. Former president Freddy Sanken wished him health in his Facebook's video. Mathijs later returned home on 27 September, after spending 16 days at hospital. He officially continued to work from 13 November. Three days later, Mathijs surpassed Jakob Zinkeern's record for longest-served president from Podemos.

On July 2024, Mathijs made trip to several Dutch villages and visited people.

Mathijs is married with publisher Justine Herbert since 1996 and they have three children.

Ideology

Left-wing Podemos and right-wing United Croatia have been a huge rivals since its establishment. In late 1980s, United Croatia played a resistance to Yugoslavian communism and advocated for independent Croatia. Podemos took more moderate approach and proposed a progressive transition to social democracy. In the end of 20th century and 21st century, United Croatia dominated in political area, including consecutive periods from 1991 to 2019 and from 2021 until 2023.

• Podemos - social-democracy, green politics, LGBT rights, multiculturalism, euthanasia, legal abortion, human rights, strict control of guns.
• United Croatia - conservatism, nationalism, euroskepticism, anti-immigration, restriction of abortion, traditional family, free use of weapons.

All candidates and elections

• 1991: Freddy Sanken (elected by the Independence Council for 8 years term)
• 1999 presidential elections: Incumbent president Freddy Sanken defeated Predrag Covinic (United Croatia)
• 2004 presidential elections: Alina Golubec (United Croatia) defeated Podemos candidate Donat Grizan
• 2008 presidential elections: Incumbent president Alina Golubec (United Croatia) defeated Dahlia Lima (Podemos)
• 2012 presidential elections: Incumbent president Alina Golubec defeated Podemos candidate Donat Grizan
• 2015 presidential elections: Roland Ernel (United Croatia) defeated Podemos candidate Arij Schatkus
• 2019 presidential elections: Jakob Zinkeern (Podemos) defeated incumbent president Roland Ernel (United Croatia)
• 2023 presidential elections: Tim Mathijs (Podemos) defeated incumbent president Karel Kerezic

Presidential Libraries and Museums

Freddy Sanken's Presidential Library and Museum.

• 1. Freddy Sanken (opened in 2001)
• 2. Alina Golubec (opened in 2018)
• 3. Roland Ernel (opened in 2021)
• 4. Jakob Zinkeern (opened in 2023)
• 5. Karel Kerezic (refused)
• 6. Tim Mathijs (started in 2024, will be opened in 2026)

Official list of elections

1999

1999 presidential election

20 June 1999

Nominee Freddy Sanken Predrag Covinic Party Independent United Croatia Running mate Aleksa Aleksic Bronislav Jukna Popular vote 1,433,372 1,125,969 Percentage 56.01% 43.99%

Results of the election in all of Croatia's counties: the candidate with the majority of votes in each administrative division.   Freddy Sanken   Predrag Covinic

President before election Freddy Sanken Independent Elected President Freddy Sanken Independent

First presidential elections of the independent country were held in on 20 June 1999. Two candidates participated in the elections: incumbent independent president Freddy Sanken (b.1960) and United Croatia presidential nominee senator Predrag Covinic (1939-2020). Sanken won a landslide victory, receiving 60.3% of the vote to secure a second consecutive term. His running mate was Aleksandar Aleksic, first sportsman who became a vicepresident.

United Croatia's political rival Podemos was not elected to the Senate until 2004.

Sanken's victory was announced on 21 June and he was inaugurated on 30 June 1999. His wife Nera continued her work as a first lady. Aleksic became first vicepresident in history.

Freddy Sanken who was appointed first nation's president by independence council in 1991, won his second term.

In 1998, Freddy Sanken announced that will seek re-election. He choose Aleksandar Aleksic as his running mate. In same year, jurist, diplomat, and senator since 1991, Predrag Covinic won United Croatia's nomination for president and choose Bronislav Jukna as his running mate.

The first debate between the candidates took place in December 1998. Sanken won the debates, and experts said the reason for Sanken's victory was his much better eloquence. On February, was held debates between vicepresidential candidates. Experts identified this debate as having succeeded perfectly, but thought Aleksic was doing a little better.

Further information

United Croatia candidate for vicepresidents Bronislav Jukna died on February 2010, aged 82. Presidential candidate Predrag Covinic retired from politics in 2015. He died from COVID-19 on August 2020 at age of 81. His coffin lied in repose in Zagreb Palace of Culture. Sanken honored him by saying: "Love for the others, altruism, devotion to family and work made sense of the life of Senator Predrag. This is an example for future generations. If you are doing something, try to do it as best you can." After the last service, Covinic was buried next to his wife in the Zagreb National Pantheon.

Freddy Sanken's Presidential Library and museum was opened in 2001. It will be Sanken's and his wife future final resting place.