The parliamentary election in Serbia, which was largely boycotted by the opposition, has significantly strengthened President Aleksandar Vucic’s power. The Serbian right-wing National Progress Party (SNS) led by Vucic won 63 percent of the vote yesterday, gaining a three-quarter majority in parliament.
This was announced by the electoral research group CESID after the votes were almost fully counted in the night to today. The SNS will have 189 out of 250 seats in the new representative body, up from 105 so far, increasing its share of parliamentary seats from 42 to 76 percent.
Only two other parties made it into parliament on their own initiative: The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), allied with Vucic, won eleven percent of the vote and 32 mandates (previously 22) and the right-wing populist party Spas (rescue) of the former water polo player Aleksandar Sapic on four percent of the votes and twelve mandates.
Opposition boycotted election
The main opposition parties boycotted the election. Even before the coronavirus crisis, they had not met the requirements for free and fair elections due to the media situation in the country.
Vucic has been ruling as prime minister since 2014 and increasingly authoritarian over the Balkans since 2017. Most of the media are controlled by him and his business friends. With access to state resources, Vucic and the SNS, which has been ruling since 2012, secure an overwhelming public presence.
Vucic: „Historical Triumph“
Vucic, whose party was not on the ballot paper with her name but with the list name „Aleksandar Vucic – For Our Children“, spoke of a „historical triumph“ of his SNS. „We won more than two million of 3.3 million votes,“ he said euphorically. Around 6.6 million citizens were entitled to vote.
„Serbia unequivocally said no to Aleksandar Vucic’s regime today,“ said opposition leader Dragan Djilas, former Mayor of Belgrade, referring to the participation of only around half of those eligible to vote. Participation was even lower in large cities such as Belgrade and Nis. „The boycott has achieved its goal, it has exposed the regime, the madness to which we have been exposed for years.“
