Party of Serbia's President Vucic hopes to expand its power in parliamentary elections
The polling stations closed at 8 p.m. and the first results were expected in the course of the evening. According to polls, the SNS could expect 40 to 45 percent of the vote at national level.
The biggest competition for Vucic's party is the loose opposition alliance Serbia Against Violence. The movement emerged from the mass protests following two gun attacks in the spring that left a total of 18 people dead. The demonstrators accused the government of promoting a culture of violence, including with the help of the media it controls. The protests were increasingly directed against government policy as a whole.
Vucic discredited the protests against him as a foreign conspiracy.
The people of Serbia are also groaning under massive inflation. In spring, it was over 15 percent compared to the previous year, in November it was still eight percent. Vucic's government reacted by spending money without regard for the state coffers.
In October, it increased pensions by 5.5 percent and announced a further increase for the beginning of 2024. At the end of November, a bonus of 20,000 dinars (170 euros) was added for all pensioners - a considerable sum for an average pension of the equivalent of 320 euros per month.
On Sunday, just over 6.5 million Serbs were called to vote. According to the electoral commission, voter turnout at 4 p.m. was 42 percent - the same as in the 2022 election.
In the south of the country, hundreds of Serbs from Kosovo crossed the border to vote in Serbia. Pristina and Belgrade had not been able to agree on voting in Kosovo.
Vucic himself said on Sunday morning that he expected "a high turnout" and a "landslide victory". Serbia had "a lot of work ahead of it in the coming period".
The president went to the polls in the capital Belgrade, where the opposition hoped to become the strongest force. A loose alliance of opposition parties ran there. The candidates of Serbia against Violence were given good chances. Local elections were held in around 60 cities on Sunday.
Opposition politician Dobrica Veselinovic from the Serbia Against Violence alliance said that he hoped for "a high voter turnout in Belgrade and throughout Serbia" and that "voters have the freedom to express their will".
In Belgrade, the opposition spoke of irregularities and stated that entire buses with voters from outside the country had been brought to the capital to cast their votes. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic rejected the accusations on the online service X, formerly Twitter.
Election observers from the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability said they had been attacked in the town of Odzaci in the north-east "after a case of electoral fraud was registered". Dozens of ballot papers were taken from party offices to the opposite polling station.
Vucic had called the new parliamentary elections himself. Since he first took office in 2014 - when he was still Prime Minister - government cabinets in Serbia rarely last until the end of a legislative period - which critics see as a maneuver to obstruct the opposition.
In the last parliamentary and presidential elections in April 2022, the SNS won 120 out of 250 parliamentary seats and Vucic was confirmed in office for a second term.
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- Despite the ongoing mass protests and accusations of promoting violence, President Vucic's Party of Serbia aims to secure a significant majority in the upcoming Parliamentary election.
- On Sunday, voters in Serbia and even those from Kosovo will have the opportunity to 'On' cast their votes, with hopes of influencing 'The' outcome of the election.
- In the heart of Belgrade, the main opposition alliance 'Serbia' Against Violence, formed after the spring shootings, anticipates strong performances in the parliamentary election.
- Vucic, the President of Serbia, has 'From' time to time called for new parliamentary elections, which some critics view as a tactic to hinder the opposition's growth.
- Despite the increase in pensions and bonuses doled out by Vucic's government, 'Inflation' remains a pressing issue for the majority of Serbian citizens, with rates still high in November.
- The loose opposition alliance 'Serbia' Against Violence and its candidates, such as Dobrica Veselinovic, hope for a high voter turnout on 'Sunday', giving the people 'Aleksandar Vucic' a chance to exercise their democratic rights.
- The election observers from the Center for Research, Transparency, and Accountability experienced 'Expansion' of their duties in defending fair practices, as they reported 'irregularities' in the small town of Odzaci.
- In the 2022 parliamentary and presidential elections, Vucic's Party of Serbia secured a strong presence, gaining 120 seats in the parliament and ensuring 'Vucic' another term as President.
- Post-election, President Vucic insisted on his party's potential for 'expansion' and a 'landslide victory', with 'Serbia' having 'a lot of work ahead' to improve the living conditions of its citizens.
Source: www.stern.de
