Fran Folnegović

Fran Folnegović (17 February 1848 – 18 July 1903) was a Croatian politician. He was a member of the Sabor of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia elected on the Party of Rights ticket six times. Folnegović became one of the principal members of the party. He persuaded the Party of Rights founder Ante Starčević to end his political retirement and lead the party. Despite criticism from Starčević's nephew David who accused Folnegović of departures from Starčević's uncompromising pursuit of Croatian independence, Folnegović rose to the position of the vice-president of the party's central committee. In practice, he was leading the Party of Rights since Starčević, formally the president, was too ill to effectively lead the party.

Folnegović advocated cooperation or merger with the Independent People's Party and strengthening of Croatia's position within Austria-Hungary. This led to a conflict with Josip Frank and fragmentation of the Party of Rights. Namely, Folnegović adopted some elements of Yugoslavism as a part of his political views, while Frank and his adherents known as the Frankists rejected the ideology completely. The break between the two culminated when Folnegović distanced the party from violence at the occasion of the 1895 visit by Emperor Franz Joseph to Zagreb—which involved Frank's sons Vladimir and Ivo. This led to establishment of the Pure Party of Rights by the Frankists and rebranding of the remainder of the party as the Croatian Party of Rights.