6. Attempting to obtain independent rule for Croatia, first under Austria-Hungary and later under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Croatian People’s Party repeatedly came so close to their goal before being suppressed by authoritarianism each time
Founded in 1904 by Antun and Stjepan Radić, the Croatian People’s Peasant Party was created with the objective of obtaining independent statehood for Croatia from Austria-Hungary. Following the end of the First World War and the breakup of the Austrian Empire, Croatia was earmarked for the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Campaigning that their participation should be the product of self-determination and only go ahead following a plebiscite, in the 1920 parliamentary elections the Radić Brothers’ party won all fifty-eight seats assigned to Croatia. Failing to achieve their goals within the system, in 1920, unhappy with the poor position of Croats within the new kingdom, the party shifted its stance to secession.
Becoming the Croatian Republican Peasant Party, the political movement garnered even wider support. Doubling the number of votes won in the 1923 and 1925 elections, the separatist party rose to become the second largest in the Yugoslav Parliament. However, attracting sustained persecution by Yugoslav authorities, the party suffered following the assassination of Stjepan Radić in 1928. The following year, King Alexander declared the imposition of a dictatorship and the outlawing of any political opposition. Continuing underground throughout Nazi occupation, many leading members were forced to flee the country into exile upon the start of communist rule in 1945.