Istarski demokratski sabor (IDS) / Istrian Democratic Assembly
EU RANK: 81 (Tier 2: High Performance)
Istarski demokratski sabor (IDS) is a regionalist, liberal and pro‑European party based in Istria, advocating decentralisation, minority rights and closer cooperation with Italy and Slovenia. It has governed Istria County and several coastal municipalities for most of the post‑independence period, often participating in national coalitions as a junior partner. IDS presents itself as a modern, tolerant and European force focused on local development and tourism.
Disinformation and alternative media
IDS operates primarily through regional and national mainstream media, local radio and portals, and its own communication channels; it does not maintain a separate network of fringe outlets. Its discourse focuses on regional autonomy, economic development, bilingualism and environmental issues, framed within Croatia’s constitutional and EU framework rather than in anti‑system terms.
There is little evidence of IDS involvement in disinformation campaigns; Croatian disinformation mapping rarely mentions it, focusing more on national‑level far‑right and populist actors. DMI disinformation/alternative‑media risk is low.
Foreign influence and external alignments
IDS is strongly pro‑EU and supportive of cross‑border cooperation with Italy and Slovenia in the context of EU regional‑policy instruments. It favours a cosmopolitan, multilingual Istria and supports Croatia’s commitments within NATO and the EU, without advocating radical foreign‑policy shifts.
There is no indication that IDS is a vehicle for foreign‑state influence operations; its external links are largely institutional (twinning, regional projects, tourism) rather than geopolitical. Foreign‑influence DMI risk is low.
Media capture, advertising and public service media
IDS’s long dominance in Istria gives it significant influence over local advertising, municipal publishing, public companies and local branches of national media. Local watchdogs and journalists have at times criticised a “closed circle” in which county and city institutions favour friendly outlets and limit access for critical voices, especially around urban planning and tourism projects.
The party supports national‑level public‑service media and local cultural outlets but has not championed strong structural reforms to reduce local advertising clientelism. Its media‑capture risk is medium: significant in its home region, limited at national level.
Corruption, litigation and institutional integrity
Litigation records show that IDS officials have been involved in some investigations and allegations related to urban planning, public land and municipal contracts, though these cases are fewer and less prominent than major national scandals. The party’s long control over Istrian institutions increases the risk of entrenched patronage and weak opposition oversight, even if outright grand corruption is less visible.
Overall DMI corruption and institutional‑integrity risk is medium: a locally dominant party with predictable clientelist vulnerabilities.
Press freedom, harassment and treatment of media
IDS publicly endorses media freedom and pluralism and emphasises Istria’s tradition of tolerance, but its regional hegemony allows it to exert informal pressure on local outlets through access, advertising and appointments in public cultural bodies. Journalists who investigate land deals or local elites have reported difficulties obtaining information or facing subtle economic retaliation, rather than overt legal harassment.
At national level IDS has not stood out as an aggressive critic of media or public broadcasters, mainly using them to promote regional interests. Its press‑freedom and harassment risk is medium.