Drazen Horvat (born 1988) is a Kresimirian lawyer, activist, and politician who serves as the Junior Senator for District VII (Ravna Skrad). A member of the Civic Renewal Front (CRF), he was elected in 2022 as part of the party’s national resurgence under Vesna Horvatin.
Horvat is best known as the founder of Republic For All, a legal charity dedicated to defending citizens accused of violating the state’s strict censorship and assembly laws. His election represented a significant cultural shift in Ravna Skrad; while the senior seat is held by Zoran Pesic, a former censor for the Council for Education, Horvat represents the district’s vibrant student population, independent media, and liberal intelligentsia.
Early Life and Activism
Drazen Horvat was born in 1988 in Ravna Skrad. He attended the nearby the University of Pulma in Severnivaraje, where he studied Law.
During his time at Pulma, Horvat became a prominent student leader. In 2009, following the state ban on Osman Hamzic’s novel The Empty Altar, Horvat organized a “Read-In” protest in the university’s library. The event was broken up by the Civil Order Force, and Horvat was briefly detained. The incident radicalized him against the Media Licensing Authority (MLA) and the censorship apparatus of the state.
Republic For All
In 2012, after passing the bar, Horvat founded Republic For All (Republika za Sve). The non-profit organization provides pro-bono legal defense for journalists, artists, and students prosecuted under Article 39 of the Constitution (“Prevention of Moral Decay”).
The charity became a thorn in the side of the CIA. Horvat famously represented several contributors to the Early Bird Chronicle who were facing fines for satire.
- The “Digital” Defense: Following the passage of the 2015 Digital Vigilance Act, Horvat’s firm specialized in defending citizens accused of “digital sedition” for using unauthorized software or accessing blocked sites on the KresiX network.
Political Career
The 2022 Election
In the run-up to the 2022 election, the CRF leadership sought to capitalize on the youth vote in university towns. Vesna Horvatin recruited Horvat to run in District VII.
The campaign was thematically striking. Horvat ran against the Blue Dawn incumbent (and Senior Senator) Zoran Pesic.
- The Contrast: Pesic was a former career official in the MLA—essentially a professional censor. Horvat was a free-speech lawyer. The election became a referendum on the state’s control of information.
- The Result: Horvat galvanized the student body of RSZU and the liberal urban middle class. He secured 30.7% of the vote, defeating the second Blue Dawn candidate, Ana Vucic (25.5%), and winning the district’s junior seat.
In the Assembly
Since taking office, Horvat has been the Assembly’s most vocal advocate for civil liberties.
- Committee Work: He sits on the Justice Committee, where he frequently questions the Chief State Councillor regarding the use of the Guardian Daemon spyware.
- Conflict of Interest: Horvat continues to serve as the non-executive Director of Republic For All. This has drawn criticism from Vjetrusa and SoK senators, who argue he uses his parliamentary privilege to aid his legal clients against the state.
Political Positions
- Free Speech: He advocates for the abolition of the Media Licensing Authority and the repeal of the censorship clauses in Article 39.
- Judicial Reform: He supports shortening the 30-year terms for Superior Tribunal justices, arguing the current system entrenches “geriatric conservatism.”
- Digital Rights: He is a close ally of Senator Illes Mehic (District IX) in the fight for digital privacy.