Originally a union leader in the 1980s, he joined the liberal Croatian People's Party (HNS) in 1996.
Dragutin Lesar was born on 4 March 1956 in village Mačkovec near Čakovec in Socialist Republic of Croatia.
[3] Due to poor financial situation, his secondary education is that of a commercialist, despite his wishes to attend a gymnasium in Zagreb.
[3] He leaves the Municipal Council of Trade Unions because of the disagreement with local Communist Party officials.
[3] After that, he moved to Mursko Središće and employed in "Gorenje-Mural", an aluminium radiator factory, where he worked as a sales director.
[3] After that, he is employed in the iron foundry in Čakovec, where he conducts procurement operations and forms commercial service.
[3] Since attempt of reformation of Union of Syndicates of Croatia failed in 1990, Lesar, Vesna Dejanović, Ivan Miletić and Milan Krivokuća founded Union of Independent Syndicates of Croatia (Croatian: Savez samostalnih sindikata Hrvatska) at the end of 1990.
[3] His rivals were Franjo Tuđman, Ivica Račan, Vlado Gotovac and Drago Stipac.