Davor Banit (1903-1982) was a Kresimirian politician who served as the second leader of the hardline nationalist party, the Sons of Kresimir (SoK). A Senator for the contested district of Ravna Skrad from 1942 to 1972, he led the party during the most violent period of the Kresimir-Bosken conflict and was the primary voice of opposition to the 1961 Treaty of Brod Moravice.
Political Career
Davor Banit was a fervent disciple of SoK founder Kresimir Basic and a staunch believer in his divinist ideology. He was first elected to the Assembly in the 1942 election, winning a seat for the Sons of Kresimir in District VII. Representing Ravna Skrad, a district situated on the cultural and political frontline with the Bosken-influenced south, Banit quickly established himself as a hawkish and uncompromising voice on national security.
Leadership of the Sons of Kresimir (1952–1971)
Upon Kresimir Basic’s retirement in 1952, Banit was chosen as his successor. He inherited the leadership of the SoK at a time of escalating violence. The assassination of his mentor in 1954 by BRC-21 deeply impacted him, hardening his resolve and cementing his belief that a military solution was the only viable path.
Throughout his nineteen-year leadership, Banit was the Assembly’s most forceful advocate for a total war against the Bosken insurgency. His tenure was defined by two key events:
- The Post-Assassination Crackdown: In the wake of Basic’s death, Banit used his platform to successfully lobby Chancellor Kresimir Kresimirovic II for a massive security crackdown in Moraviskameja, a policy that led to years of intense conflict.
- Opposition to the Treaty: Banit was the most vocal and prominent opponent of the 1961 Treaty of Brod Moravice. He led the SoK in a fierce, but ultimately unsuccessful, campaign against its ratification in the Assembly. He condemned the treaty as a “treacherous capitulation to terrorism” and a betrayal of Basic’s legacy, arguing that it compromised the theological foundation of the Republic by granting rights to non-adherents of Kresimirianism.
Later Career and Retirement
Despite his party’s opposition, the treaty was passed and implemented. Banit led the SoK through the 1962 election, where the party held its ground, winning three seats. He continued to lead the party for another nine years, serving as the constant, critical voice against the new political reality established by the treaty.
In 1971, he stepped down as party leader and was succeeded by his long-time colleague, Tihomir Bran. Banit did not seek re-election in the 1972 election, retiring from politics after thirty years in the Assembly.
Banit died in 1982 at the age of 79.
Legacy
Davor Banit is remembered as the unwavering torchbearer of Kresimir Basic’s divinist ideology. He successfully transitioned the Sons of Kresimir from a party led by a Divine Founder to an enduring institution of the Kresimirian hard right. While his confrontational policies failed to prevent the Treaty of Brod Moravice, he ensured that the voice of uncompromising nationalism remained a powerful and persistent force in Kresimirian politics for decades after his retirement.