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2014 Serbian parliamentary election

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2014 Serbian parliamentary election
Serbia
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All 250 seats in the National Assembly
126 seats needed for a majority
Turnout53.09% (Decrease 4.67pp)
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
SNS coalition Aleksandar Vučić 49.96 158 +71
SPS–PUPS–JS Ivica Dačić 13.94 44 0
DS coalition Dragan Đilas 6.23 19 −32
NDS–ZS–LSV–ZZS Boris Tadić 5.89 18 +12
Minority lists
VMSZ István Pásztor 2.17 6 +1
SDAS Sulejman Ugljanin 1.01 3 +1
PVD Riza Halimi 0.70 2 +1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Election results by municipality
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Ivica Dačić
SPS		 Aleksandar Vučić
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Parliamentary elections were held in Serbia on 16 March 2014, with nineteen electoral lists competing for 250 members of the National Assembly. The election was called early, after tensions in the coalition led by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić scheduled the election at the same time as the previously announced Belgrade City Assembly election. Voter turnout was 53.09%, with 3.22% of votes invalid.[1]

The Serbian Progressive Party and their coalition won the election by a landslide,[2] receiving just under half the valid votes and winning an absolute majority of 158 seats in the assembly. Its former partner the Socialist Party of Serbia matched its previous achievement with 44 seats, while only two more non-ethnic lists surpassed the 5% threshold: the Democratic Party (DS) with 19 seats, and the New Democratic Party coalition led by former president Boris Tadić with 18 seats.[1] A number of long-time parliamentary parties, notably the Democratic Party of Serbia, United Regions of Serbia and the Liberal Democratic Party failed to cross the 5% threshold.[3]

The election were the first since the 2000 elections, after the ousting of Slobodan Milošević's government, that a party won the absolute majority of seats. Aleksandar Vučić announced the formation of a new government with a coalition between the parties the Serbian Progressive Party ran with.[4]

Background

[edit]
Further information: 2014 Belgrade City Assembly election

Following the last election, the coalition led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won a plurality. After two months of negotiations, the Serbian Progressive Party formed a coalition government with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS).[5] Ivica Dačić (SPS) became prime minister, while Aleksandar Vučić (SNS) became first deputy prime minister. The former ruling party and now main opposition, Democratic Party (DS), suffered heavy losses in the election but retained a majority in Belgrade, a coveted position in Serbian politics. An internal split within the DS over leadership following the election further weakened its position with the mayor of Belgrade, Dragan Đilas (DS) losing a non-confidence vote.[6]

With SNS ratings at an all-time high and growing tension within the ruling coalition, first deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić called for early parliamentary elections to be held.[7] Some analysts believed that Vučić held the most influence in the government.[8] Despite speculation that he would not,[citation needed] prime minister Ivica Dačić agreed to hold early parliamentary elections.[9] On 29 January, President Tomislav Nikolić responded to the calls by dissolving parliament and scheduling early elections for 16 March 2014.[10][11]

Electoral system

[edit]

The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia is a unicameral parliament with 250 seats. The entire country is a single whole electoral unit, with all votes accumulated together and then MPs allocated in accordance to the D'Hondt method. The electoral threshold is set at 5%. However, electoral lists that are officially submitted as aiming to represent one of the country's registered national minorities have no barrage set. That means that, according to the valid electoral law, such a list needs to win 0.4% of the total votes in order to secure its 1st MP seat.[12]

Despite the rejection of the Kosovan Albanians and in context of the Kosovo problem, voting was still organized on the territory of Kosovo, as per UNSCR 1244 (1999) and the Kumanovo Technical Agreement. Voting in Kosovo was handled, and not just seen, by the OSCE.[13]

A total of 8,262 voting stations were prepared on Serbian territory (excluding Kosovo).[14] On 1 March the RIK declared that in Serbia there was a total of 6,767,324 eligible voters, which was some twelve thousand less than in 2012.[15] The RIK subsequently formed 90 voting stations for the disputed territory of Kosovo.[16]

Observers

[edit]

The Center for Free Elections and Democracy was the only domestic observer. Among the international organizations that Serbia is a member of, neutral observers came from OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, the OSCE Mission in Serbia and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Commonwealth of Independent States, Albania and Russia sent observing missions from their domestic Commissions, and the American, British and Bulgarian embassies in Belgrade sent observing missions. The elections were also observed by the Common Network of International Observers from Japan.[17]

Electoral lists

[edit]

The following are the official electoral lists published by the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK).[18]

# Ballot name Ballot carrier Main ideology Political position Note
1
Aleksandar Vučić Populism Big tent
2
  • "Ivica Dačić – SPS – PUPS – JS"
  • SPS, PUPS, JS
 Ivica Dačić Populism Big tent
3
  • Democratic Party of Serbia – Vojislav Koštunica
  • DSS
 Vojislav Koštunica National conservatism Right-wing
4
  • Čedomir Jovanović – LDP, BDZS, SDU
  • LDP, BDZS, SDU
 Čedomir Jovanović Liberalism Centre
5
Bálint Pásztor Minority interests Centre-right
M
6
Vojislav Šešelj Ultranationalism Far-right
7
  • United Regions of Serbia – Mlađan Dinkić
  • URS
 Mlađan Dinkić Liberal conservatism Centre-right
8
Dragan Đilas Social democracy Centre-left
9
  • Dveri – Boško Obradović
  • Dveri
 Boško Obradović Christian right Far-right
10
  • Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak – Dr Sulejman Ugljanin
  • SDAS
 Sulejman Ugljanin Minority interests Right-wing
M
11
Boris Tadić Social democracy Centre-left
12
  • Third Serbia – For All The Hard-Working People
  • TS
 Aleksandar Protić National conservatism Right-wing
13
  • Montenegrin Party – Josip Broz
  • CP, KP
 Nenad Stevović Minority interests
M
14
Emir Elfić Minority interests
M
15
  • Enough is Enough – Saša Radulović
  • DJB
 Saša Radulović Social liberalism Centre
16
  • Coalition of Citizens of All Nations and National Communities (RDS–SDS)
  • RDS, SDS
 Miroslav Besermenji Minority interests
M
17
Milica Đurđević Ultranationalism Far-right
18
  • Russian Party – Slobodan Nikolić
  • RS
 Slobodan Nikolić National conservatism Right-wing
M
18
  • Party for Democratic Action – Riza Halimi
  • PDD
 Riza Halimi Minority interests Centre-right
M

M — National minority list

Candidates

[edit]

SNS-led coalition

[edit]

The Serbian Progressive Party renewed their coalition with Velimir Ilić's New Serbia and Aleksandar Vulin's Movement of Socialists from the 2012 election. The coalition was this time joined by Rasim Ljajić's Social Democratic Party (SDPS) and Vuk Drašković's monarchist Serbian Renewal Movement, the former previously running with the Democratic Party and the latter with the Liberal Democratic Party. In accordance with the coalition treaty, the SDPS was to receive at least 10 seats, New Serbia and the Serbian Renewal Movement each five, and Movement of Socialists three.[19] The coalition took the name "Future We Believe In".

The Strength of Serbia Movement was a coalition partner in the previous election, but did not officially participate in 2014. Candidates from the party were still included in the coalition's lists.[20] Both the Coalition of Refugee Associations in the Republic of Serbia[21] and the People's Peasant Party were also not official coalition partners, but had candidates appear on lists.[22] Of the several parties of national minorities that participated in the coalition in 2012, all broke off cooperation except for the Bosniak People's Party, whose candidates appeared on the list.[23] SNS' list also contains former prominent Social Democrat Ljiljana Nestorović, and architect Branka Bošnjak (previously in the URS).[24]

The Progressives' list was backed in union with SDPS and the Sandžak People's Party, which signed an agreement of endorsement.[25] On 9 February, the Civic Initiative of Gora decided to support SNS,[26] and the next day the Movement of Laborers and Peasants also announced their support.[27] SNS also received endorsement from the Dinara-Drina-Danube Movement,[28] the United Peasant Party,[29] and the Roma Party.[30] Through Rasim Ljajić's mediation, by March the Movement of Frontiersmen and the Diaspora agreed to endorse the electoral list.[31]

Socialist Party of Serbia-lead coalition

[edit]

The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) retained their coalition with United Serbia (JS) and the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS). JS leader Dragan Marković announced that JS would ask for participation in the government rather than simply endorsing it like the two previous terms, asking for a minister's position for himself in the future government.[32] The Socialist Party of Serbia did not include the Serbian Veteran Movement as it traditionally did, which broke off in late 2013 due to disagreement over policies regarding Kosovo.

Democratic Party of Serbia

[edit]

The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) of ex-prime minister Vojislav Koštunica considered forming a Eurosceptic "Patriotic Bloc" with Dveri and possibly the Serbian Radical Party. DSS later stated that it chose not to form a coalition with other parties that expressed interest because it felt that those parties did not fully embrace DSS positions and that they merely wanted to join for the purpose of entering parliament.[33] DSS officially submitted to the Republic Electoral Commission its candidate electoral list on 6 February.[34]

DSS' list contained candidates from the Serbian Veteran Movement,[35] a party that was originally SPS' coalition partner.[36]

DSS' campaign slogan was I know who I believe — the Democratic Party of Serbia (Serbian Cyrillic: Знам коме верујем — Демократска странка Србије).[37]

Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition

[edit]

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was originally invited to join Boris Tadić's Social Democratic Party in a coalition.[38] After rejecting the offer, LDP attempted to arrange a coalition with the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina, its partner in the 2007 elections, and after talks failed the Democratic Party.[39] After those negotiations fell through,[40] LDP formed its own coalition with the Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandžak and the Social Democratic Union.[41] [42] [43] The Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions endorsed LDP.[44]

Hungarian minority

[edit]

The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians submitted its electoral list on 8 February, thus becoming the first national minority to do so. SVM leader István Pásztor announced the party's focus was secure the five seats won at the previous election.[45]

Serbian Radical Party

[edit]
SRS election poster

The ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party (SRS) was invited to become a part of a Eurosceptic by the Dveri movement and DSS, which it rejected.[46] Instead, SRS ran on its own list, including candidates from the clerofascist "Srbski Obraz" Movement (which was officially banned by the constitutional court in 2012[47]) and the far-right SNP Naši.[48]

The coalition received an open letter of support from Russian National Bolshevik political scientist Aleksandr Dugin of the International Eurasian Movement.[49]

This list' electoral slogan was: Both Kosovo and Russia (Serbian: И Косово и Русија, I Kosovo i Rusija), a satire of the "both Kosovo and the EU" doctrine.[50]

Democratic Party

[edit]

The Democratic Party (DS), led by Dragan Đilas, announced that it would join a coalition with New Party (Nova), the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina (DSHV), the Serbian Trade Union Organization Sloga (USS), and Rich Serbia (BS).[51]

As a response to the DLR's coalition with Tadić's New Democratic Party, DS announced the support of 20 Romani NGOs and cultural and public laborers.[52]

New Democratic Party

[edit]

After former president Boris Tadić broke from the Democratic Party, he announced the formation of the New Democratic Party. For the 2014 election, the party entered a coalition with LSV, ZZS, some Bosniak and Hungarian minority parties and the Greens.[53]

In early February, the Greens of Serbia officially decided to elect Tadić as their leader and merge with NDS, becoming the "New Democratic Party - The Greens".[54] NDS-Greens signed an official coalition treaty mid-February with Together for Serbia (ZZS) and the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV); according to the treaty LSV would receive 6 MPs and ZZS 2, with the option for a 3rd MP for the latter should the common list win more than 10% votes.[55]

Council of Serbian Unity-led Coalition

[edit]

The Council of Serbian Unity announced the formation of the a coalition with various smaller parties:[56]

Other candidacies

[edit]

Third Serbia, a nationalist movement that broke off from Dveri after the previous elections, announced that it would run in the election.[57]

Opinion polls

[edit]
Main article: Opinion polling for the Serbian parliamentary election, 2014

Results

[edit]

Preliminary results showed the Progressive-led coalition winning with 158 seats, while the SPS–PUPS–JS coalition came second with 44, the Democratic-led coalition third with 19 and Boris Tadić's coalition with 18.[58]

Of the minorities, the SVM qualified with six seats, SDA with three seats and the Albanian minority list Party for Democratic Action with 2 seats.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Future We Believe In (SNS–SDPS–NS–SPO–PS)[a]1,736,92049.96158+71
SPS–PUPS–JS[b]484,60713.94440
For a Democratic Serbia (DS–Nova–DSHV–BS)[c]216,6346.2319–32
NDS–Z–LSV–ZZS–ZZV[d]204,7675.8918+12
Democratic Party of Serbia152,4364.380–21
Dveri128,4583.6900
LDP–BDZS–SDU120,8793.480–15
United Regions of Serbia109,1673.140–16
Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians75,2942.176+1
Enough is Enough74,9732.160New
Serbian Radical Party72,3032.0800
Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak35,1571.013+1
Party for Democratic Action24,3010.702+1
Third Serbia16,2060.470New
Russian Party6,5470.190New
Montenegrin Party–Communist Party6,3880.1800
Patriotic Front4,5140.130New
All Together3,9830.110–1
RDS–SDS3,1820.090New
Total3,476,716100.002500
Valid votes3,476,71696.78
Invalid/blank votes115,6593.22
Total votes3,592,375100.00
Registered voters/turnout6,765,99853.09
Source: RIK
  1. ^ Of the 158 seats won by the alliance, the Serbian Progressive Party won 128, the Social Democratic Party of Serbia 10, New Serbia 6, the Serbian Renewal Movement 5, the Movement of Socialists 3, the Strength of Serbia Movement 2, the Christian Democratic Party 1, the People's Peasant Party 1, the United Peasant Party 1 and the Bosniak People's Party 1.
  2. ^ Of the 44 seats won by the alliance, the Socialist Party won 25, the Party of United Pensioners 12 and United Serbia 7.
  3. ^ Of the 19 seats won by the alliance, the Democratic Party won 17 and the New Party 2.
  4. ^ Of the 18 seats won by the alliance, the Social Democratic Party and Greens won 10, the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina 6 and Together for Serbia 2.

Government formation

[edit]

Although SNS alone had the required minimum of 126 seats, it maintained its pre-electoral coalition with SDPS, NS and SPO-DHSS, along with all of the lesser partners such as PS. Dačić noted that there were no discussions of government formation, but that SPS-PUPS-JS was ready to continue on where it left off. Đilas noted that the Democrats excluded any possibility of coalition and that they would have talks merely with President Nikolic, rejecting his call. While all of the three (Hungarian,[59] Bosniak[60] and Albanian[61]) minority parties noted that they would enter the government, Ljajic explicitly noted that SDPS would not be a part of the future ruling coalition if SDA joined it.[62] Tadić considered the Socialists responsible for bad policy so his coalition would not join with the Progressives' if a coalition with the SPS was restored.[63]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Glasali ste, gledajte (in Serbian), Vreme, 16 March 2014, archived from the original on 13 July 2014, retrieved 19 March 2014
  2. ^ "Serbia Election: Progressive Party 'Wins Poll'". Sky news. 16 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Parties left out of parliament "unlikely to survive"". B92. 17 March 2014.
  4. ^ "SNS leader: Cabinet may comprise "several parties"". B92. 18 March 2014.
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  9. ^ Gordana Filipovic and Misha Savic (27 January 2014). "Serb Ruling Parties Call for Early Elections on March 16". Bloomberg.
  10. ^ "Serbian president dissolves parliament, calls early election for March 16". Fox News. 29 January 2014.
  11. ^ Sekularac, Ivana (29 January 2014). "Serbia's president calls parliamentary election for March 16". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
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  13. ^ "Koha: OEBS organizuje srpske izbore".
  14. ^ "Glasanje na 8.262 biračka mesta, bez Kosova".
  15. ^ "Istekao rok, podneto 20 lista".
  16. ^ "Na Kosovu glasanje na 90 mesta".
  17. ^ "Ko će sve posmatrati izbore 16. marta".
  18. ^ "Izborne liste 2014" (in Serbian). RIK. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
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  20. ^ "SNS prva predala listu RIK-u: Ne interesuje nas matematika već ljudi". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  21. ^ "Повoдом предаје изборне листе "Александар Вучић – Будућност у коју вјерујемо" Републичкој изборној комисији 04. Фебруара 2014. године Коалиција удружења избјеглица издаје САОПШТЕЊЕ ЗА ЈАВНОСТ". Archived from the original on 17 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  22. ^ "SNS i APPS zajedno na predstojećim izborima". Archived from the original on 30 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  23. ^ "Bošnjačka narodna stranka na izbore sa SNS".
  24. ^ Чекеревац, М. "Нова лица на листи напредњака".
  25. ^ "Đerlek uz SDP i SNS - Sandžak Haber , Sandžačke Internet Novine". 6 February 2014.
  26. ^ "Goranci podržavaju listu Aleksandra Vučića".
  27. ^ "vest podrzava - listu". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  28. ^ "Pokret Dinara, Drina, Dunav uz SNS".
  29. ^ "Ujedinjena seljačka stranka obeležila jubilej". www.juznevesti.com.
  30. ^ "I Romska partija uz naprednjake".
  31. ^ "Krajišnici i Ljajić potpisali sporazum o saradnji".
  32. ^ "Palma: Mogao bih da budem ministar".
  33. ^ Serbia, RTS, Radio televizija Srbije, Radio Television of. "Коштуница: ДСС самостално на изборе".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ "RIK potvrdio listu DSS - Vojislav Koštunica".
  35. ^ "ДОКУМЕНТИ РЕПУБЛИЧКЕ ИЗБОРНЕ КОМИСИЈЕ". Archived from the original on 30 January 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  36. ^ "ДСС И ВETEРAНИ ПOTПИСAЛИ СПOРAЗУM O СAРAДЊИ | Демократска странка Србије". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  37. ^ Војводине, Јавна медијска установа ЈМУ Радио-телевизија. "ДСС на изборе иде самостално". ЈМУ Радио-телевизија Војводине.
  38. ^ inbox-online.com. "Milić: Razgovori sa LSV, nećemo u Demokratski front".
  39. ^ "Vesti online / Vesti / Srbija / "Čanak je izabrao Tadića"". www.vesti-online.com.
  40. ^ "Dinkić i Čeda izvan blokova". www.novosti.rs.
  41. ^ "Bošnjaci u više kolona". 6 February 2014.
  42. ^ "Vesti online / Vesti / Srbija / Osnovana Bošnjačka demokratska zajednica Sandžaka". www.vesti-online.com.
  43. ^ "LDP i SDU nastavljaju saradnju".
  44. ^ "ASNS: Podrška LDP-u na parlamentarnim izborima". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  45. ^ Serbia, RTS, Radio televizija Srbije, Radio Television of. "Proglašena lista SVM".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  46. ^ "SRS samostalno na izbore".
  47. ^ "I posle Obraza - Obraz: Delovanje uprkos zabrani". Radio Slobodna Evropa.
  48. ^ "Pored "Obraza" uz SRS i "Naši"".
  49. ^ "Дугин и Евроазијски покрет подржали листу СРС, Образ и СНП Наши". Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  50. ^ "Slogan SRS: I Kosovo i Rusija".
  51. ^ "Democrats announce coalition for March elections - English - on B92.net".
  52. ^ "Vojvođanske romske NVO na izborima uz DS".
  53. ^ "Tadić predvodi građanski blok, Nova demokratska stranka na izborima". eizbori.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  54. ^ "Нова демократска странка и Зелени – изборно обједињавање снага - Зелени Србије". zelenisrbije.org. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  55. ^ "Tadićeva koalicija: Čanku šest poslanika, Petroviću dva –". Nadlanu.com. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  56. ^ "Studio B :: Vesti :: Predata lista Patriotski front". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
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  58. ^ "САОПШТЕЊА". Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  59. ^ Pastor: Očekujem poziv SNS-a na razgovore rts.rs
  60. ^ "Ugljanin očekuje poziv u vladu".
  61. ^ Halimi: Ne očekujem previše rts.rs
  62. ^ "Ljajić: Neću u vladu sa Ugljaninom".
  63. ^ "Tadić: NDS neće sa SPS u Vladu Srbije".
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