Serbia - December 2023
Country holds early elections
Early parliamentary, local and Vojvodina provincial elections were held on 17 December. Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia Must Not Stop electoral list led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won nearly 47 per cent of the vote, while opposition parties under the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) won nearly 24 per cent. Although President Vučić did not participate as a candidate, he campaigned alongside Serbia Must Not Stop, pledging new roads, hospitals, one-time cash bonuses, and that Kosovo will be part of Serbia. SPN claims it won the elections, especially in Belgrade, and called for annulment. The electoral process was marred by reports of irregularities and led to weeks of protests and international condemnation. The electoral commission decided to have a rerun in 30 polling stations (0.38 percent of the polling stations). International observers said that voters had political alternatives but that elections were undermined by the involvement of the President, the overwhelming ruling party advantage, vote buying and ballot box stuffing. Women will hold 38 per cent of parliament seats, up from the previous 35 per cent. Voter turnout stood at 58 per cent.
Sources: The Government of the Republic of Serbia, The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK), B92, Deutsche Welle, Euractiv, Euronews, OSCE ODHIR, Inter-Parliamentary Union, International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2)
