Beginning in 1945, the institutions of the Yugoslav government were overshadowed by the dominating policy input of the single ruling communist party and by a number of partycontrolled organizations designed to maintain control of various sectors of society. At the end of the first post-Tito decade, however, this condition changed in two ways. First, major partycontrolled organizations such as unions and youth groups took independent positions, and some became rival parties to the LCY. Those that remained closest to the LCY lost membership and influence. Second, the 1990 split of the LCY left that organization without even nominal policy--making control for the first time since 1945. These developments threatened to complete the separation of state from party that had begun in 1948.
Data as of December 1990