Green Victory in Zagreb: Will Mozžemo! Fulfill Their Promises?
Mozhemo!, Croatia's Green-Left party, has made a significant mark in the nation's political landscape, transforming from a grassroots movement into a formidable political force. However, as the party navigates local, national, and European politics, it faces several challenges in maintaining its activist roots while adopting the professionalism required for governance.
Maintaining Grassroots Authenticity vs. Institutional Professionalism
As a movement born from activism, Mozhemo! values democratic, participative forms of decision-making. Transitioning to formal political roles necessitates adopting hierarchical structures, bureaucratic processes, and legislative professionalism. This shift can risk alienating core supporters who value democratic, participative forms of decision-making.
Scaling Up from Local to National and European Politics
At the local level, Mozhemo! can remain closer to its base and community-driven decision-making. However, operating effectively on the national and European stages demands navigating complex political institutions, coalition-building, and policy expertise, all while preserving the movement’s activist drive and responsiveness to grassroots voices.
Resource Constraints and Professional Expertise
Grassroots organizations often rely on volunteer work and enthusiasm rather than specialized professional skills needed for governance. Developing or attracting such expertise without losing the movement’s identity is a significant challenge.
Managing Diverse and Sometimes Conflicting Priorities
The party’s grassroots base may push for radical, immediate change, while governance requires compromise, incremental progress, and balancing diverse stakeholder interests. This tension complicates foreign policy stances or economic policies at the national and European levels.
Communication and Public Expectation Management
Grassroots activists communicate through informal, direct channels and prioritize clear, radical messaging. Professional governance involves more nuanced communication and media management to appeal to broader constituencies and maintain political alliances.
Potential Institutional Co-optation and Loss of Radical Edge
Entering formal politics exposes the party to pressures to moderate policies and conform to systemic constraints, which risks co-optation or loss of appeal to radical supporters invested in systemic change rather than reformist politics.
A Successful Transformation
The political rise of Mozhemo! is a rare example of a rapid transformation from a grassroots movement into a serious political player. In the May 2022 local elections in Zagreb, the party won a resounding victory, with Tomislav Tomašević securing 56.6% of votes in the second round of the mayoral race. This victory also secured a majority for Mozhemo! and SDP in the City Assembly, ensuring governance continuity.
Mozhemo!'s success was partly due to a campaign promising deep political, administrative, and infrastructural renewal grounded in transparency, sustainability, and social justice. Progress was made in areas such as public transport modernization, renovation of kindergartens and schools, and investments in sports infrastructure. Despite some key pledges, such as the closure of the Jakuševec landfill, remaining unfulfilled and progress being slow due to resistance from interest groups linked to the former administration, voters chose to lend their support to Mozhemo! for another term.
Looking Ahead
As Mozhemo! enters a more mature phase of political life, having won the 2025 local elections and holding positions in Zagreb, Pazin, and the national parliament, the strategic goal is to make long-term investments in people, political education, and trust in communities where the platform is not yet firmly established. A new generation of politicians has joined Mozhemo!, with Dorotea Šafranić emphasizing the need for the platform to stay agile and flexible, giving space to young people who bring freshness and innovation to political work.
In June 2023, Mozhemo! managed to get into the European Parliament, establishing a foothold in the EU institutions. Sandra Bencić, a member of the Croatian parliament and a party coordinator for Mozhemo!, has emphasized the need for a flexible organizational model that balances foundational values with the demands of institutional presence. The party faces a central dilemma between its local participatory roots and the need for national party discipline, as it transitions from activism to governance.
In the April 2023 parliamentary elections, Mozhemo! won 9.1% of the vote and increased its presence in Parliament to ten seats. The first term of Mozhemo! and SDP's municipal governance was characterized by efforts to stabilize the inherited situation, restructuring city-owned companies, consolidating public finances, and increasing oversight of municipal governance. The introduction of new electric buses, procurement of domestically manufactured trams, and the expansion of pedestrian zones in the city centre signalled a tangible shift toward greener and more people-oriented urban planning.
The coming months and years will reveal whether Mozhemo! has seized or lost the opportunity to outgrow the context in which it was born and become a relevant force in reshaping Croatian political reality. The party's results in Croatia's capital, both in the first and second terms, are more than electoral victories; they are a test of whether politics in Croatia can be more than just managing the status quo.
** sychronizing democratic roots with institutional requirements**Mozhemo! must find a balance between its democratic, participative roots and the hierarchical structures, bureaucratic processes, and legislative professionalism required for effective governance.
** managing internal and external expectations**Effective communication and public expectation management are crucial for Mozhemo! as it transitions from grassroots activism to professional governance, balancing the radical, direct messaging preferred by activists with broader constituency appeal.
