Serbian parliamentary election, 2008
Encyclopedia
A pre-term parliamentary election was held in the Serbia
on 11 May 2008, barely a year after the previous parliamentary election
. There were 6,749,886 eligible electors who were able to vote in 8,682 voting places, as well as 157 special voting places designed for refugees from Kosovo
.
had passed through weeks of severe crisis after the unilateral declaration of independence of its southern province of Kosovo
on 17 February 2008. Its stability, however, was also tested and questioned before, being comprised by two very different political currents. Kosovo's independence was gradually recognized by the United States
and numerous European Union
countries, leading to strain in their relations with Serbia. Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica
of the Democratic Party of Serbia
(DSS) offered in late February to the Democratic Party (Serbia)
(DS), which holds governmental majority, a restructuring of the governmental contract including an annex according to which Serbia can continue European exclusively with Kosovo as its integral part. The controversy was further heated up when Olli Rehn
, the European Commissioner
for enlargement of the European Union
, offered to continue negotiations with Serbia. President
Boris Tadić
of the DS responded that European integrations of Serbia cannot be questioned by anyone or anything, and that since the province of Kosovo-Metohija is written into the constitution
, meaning that the proposal would mean that the Constitution is being questioned.
After days of DS and G17+ utilising their majority to outnumber the DSS-New Serbia
(NS) populist coalition, the Premier finally stated on 8 March 2008 in a press conference that the government had fallen. He scheduled an irregular session of the Serbian government for 10 March 2008, in which his proposal to issue a request to the President to dismiss the parliament and schedule pre-term parliamentary elections for 11 May 2008, the same as the local elections
. In the event that this did not occur, he would announce his imminent resignation. Subsequently, all parliamentary leaders, save for Ivica Dačić
of the Socialist Party of Serbia
who called for forming a government of national unity and Dragan Marković Palma
of United Serbia
, supported his proposal. Hours later, the President confirmed he would dismiss the parliament and schedule the election upon receiving the government's request, although unlike the PM he stated that there is no dispute in the government regarding Kosovo, but exclusively regarding European integration. The dissolution took place on 13 March 2008.
A revote was held in three polling stations (in Kraljevo
, Žagubica
and Srbica) on 18 May 2008 due to irregularities in the electoral process.
M — national minority list
President Boris Tadić
has gathered a large pro-EU coalition around his DS and G17 Plus
. On the list 166 candidates are from DS, 60 from G17+ and 8 members from each of the following parties Sanjak Democratic Party
and League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
. 25 seats are guaranteed for G17+, 4 seats and a Ministry in the future government for both SDP and SPO and 3 seats for LSV. However, if the alliance wins over 100 seats, their seats will gradually increase. The list's name is For a European Serbia – Boris Tadić and its leader is Dragoljub Mićunović
.
The List won 102 seats, of which 25 went to G17+.
The Populists won 30 seats, 20 of which goes to DSS and 10 to NS.
The Serbian Radical Party
ran alone in this parliamentary election. The party presented its list of 250 candidates.
The Socialist Party of Serbia
and the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia
have strengthened their links by forming a coalition, on which United Serbia
and Movement of Veterans of Serbia
will be present. 151 candidates are from SPS (with 1 from PVS), 69 from PUPS and 30 from JS. The Socialists' presidential candidate Milutin Mrkonjić
as been presented for Prime Minister.
and the Christian Democratic Party of Serbia
formed pre-electoral coalition. Čedomir Jovanović was its candidate for Prime Minister.
is determined to go on the election and gather the ethnic Albanian
minority parties from the Preševo Valley
. The Hungarian Coalition
of Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians
, Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians
and Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians ran together after the presidential elections success in an attempt to strengthen the Magyar minority's representation. The Civic Initiative of Gora
ran for the first time representing the Goranis in the Serbian parliament for the very first time. The Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak
gathered a Bosniac List – For a European Sanjak – Sulejman Ugljanin (Бошњачка листа – За европски Санџак – Сулејман Угљанин) coalition.
On proposal of SRS the electoral boards has changed the electoral rules for the minority parties, which now need the standard 10,000 signatures instead of privileged 3,000. This has caused an outbreak of public protest amongst Roma and Albanian minorities, who consider this a scandalous removal of positive discrimination of the national minorities, as it opens the question whether they could accumulate that many signatures in time.
The European Coalition excluded all cooperation with SRS and stated that all other coalitions are in option, as long as they accept the pro-EU cause and the five principles of the former government. Regarding coalition with DSS, Koštunica can no longer count on the PM seat. LDP however, excluded the possibility to take part in any government with DSS, SPS or NS under any circumstance.
According to a post-electoral poll conducted by Strategic Marketing from 22 to 24 May 2008, 51% of the citizens support a pro-European Coalition with the Socialists and minority support (ZES, SPS-PUPS-JS & minorities), 45% a Patriotic government (SRS, DSS-NS & SPS-PUPS-JS) and 6% are undecided. On the question regarding the possibility of repeated elections:
After long and difficult negotiations, the new pro-European government was formed on 7 July 2008 by 128 out of 250 parliamentary votes of ZES, SPS-PUPS-JS and 6 out of 7 minorities representatives. The new prime minister was Mirko Cvetković
, candidate of Democratic Party.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
on 11 May 2008, barely a year after the previous parliamentary election
Serbian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections took place in Serbia on 21 January 2007. The first session of the new National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia was held on 14 February 2007....
. There were 6,749,886 eligible electors who were able to vote in 8,682 voting places, as well as 157 special voting places designed for refugees from Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.
Background
The Serbian governmentGovernment of Serbia
Officially the Government of the Republic of Serbia is the executive branch of government in Serbia.-Current government:The current government was elected on 7 July 2008 by the majority vote in the National Assembly of Serbia and restructured on 14 March 2011...
had passed through weeks of severe crisis after the unilateral declaration of independence of its southern province of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
on 17 February 2008. Its stability, however, was also tested and questioned before, being comprised by two very different political currents. Kosovo's independence was gradually recognized by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and numerous European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
countries, leading to strain in their relations with Serbia. Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
of the Democratic Party of Serbia
Democratic Party of Serbia
The Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
(DSS) offered in late February to the Democratic Party (Serbia)
Democratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Serbia. It is described as a social liberal or social democratic party.-Pre-war history:The Democratic Party was established on 16 February 1919 from unification of Sarajevo parties independent radicals, progressives, liberals and the Serbian part of...
(DS), which holds governmental majority, a restructuring of the governmental contract including an annex according to which Serbia can continue European exclusively with Kosovo as its integral part. The controversy was further heated up when Olli Rehn
Olli Rehn
Olli Ilmari Rehn is a Finnish politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs. He had previously served as Commissioner for Enlargement...
, the European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
for enlargement of the European Union
Enlargement of the European Union
The Enlargement of the European Union is the process of expanding the European Union through the accession of new member states. This process began with the Inner Six, who founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952...
, offered to continue negotiations with Serbia. President
President of Serbia
The President of Serbia is the head of state of Serbia. Presently serving as the head of state is Boris Tadić. He was elected with a narrow majority of 50.31% in the 2008 Serbian presidential elections.-Authority, legal and constitutional rights:...
Boris Tadić
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...
of the DS responded that European integrations of Serbia cannot be questioned by anyone or anything, and that since the province of Kosovo-Metohija is written into the constitution
Constitution of Serbia
The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia is Serbia's fundamental law. The current constitution was approved in a constitutional referendum, held from on 28–29 October 2006...
, meaning that the proposal would mean that the Constitution is being questioned.
After days of DS and G17+ utilising their majority to outnumber the DSS-New Serbia
New Serbia
New Serbia is a political party in Serbia. It was created in 1997 by a number of dissidents from the Serbian Renewal Movement....
(NS) populist coalition, the Premier finally stated on 8 March 2008 in a press conference that the government had fallen. He scheduled an irregular session of the Serbian government for 10 March 2008, in which his proposal to issue a request to the President to dismiss the parliament and schedule pre-term parliamentary elections for 11 May 2008, the same as the local elections
Serbian local elections, 2008
Local elections were held in Serbia on 11 May 2008. According to the Constitutional Law adopted by the National Assembly on 30 September 2006 that proclaimed the new constitution, the parliamentary Speaker had to schedule the elections for local administrative units by 31 December 2007. He...
. In the event that this did not occur, he would announce his imminent resignation. Subsequently, all parliamentary leaders, save for Ivica Dačić
Ivica Dacic
Ivica Dačić is a Serbian politician. He is the leader of Socialist Party of Serbia and is First Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Internal Affairs....
of the Socialist Party of Serbia
Socialist Party of Serbia
The Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this...
who called for forming a government of national unity and Dragan Marković Palma
Dragan Marković
Dragan Marković , born in Končarevo in 1960 and commonly known as Palma , is a Serbian politician and entrepreneur, currently serving as a member of the National Assembly of Serbia and founder and the party leader of United Serbia political party...
of United Serbia
United Serbia
United Serbia is a political party in Serbia, centered in Jagodina. It was previously a close ally of New Serbia, and was a member of its coalition with the Democratic Party of Serbia....
, supported his proposal. Hours later, the President confirmed he would dismiss the parliament and schedule the election upon receiving the government's request, although unlike the PM he stated that there is no dispute in the government regarding Kosovo, but exclusively regarding European integration. The dissolution took place on 13 March 2008.
A revote was held in three polling stations (in Kraljevo
Kraljevo
Kraljevo is a city and municipality in central Serbia, built beside the river Ibar, 7 km west of its confluence with the Western Morava. It is located in the midst of an upland valley, between the mountains of Kotlenik in the north, and Stolovi in the south.In 2011 the city has population of...
, Žagubica
Žagubica
Žagubica is a village and municipality located in the Braničevo District of Serbia. In 2011, the population of the village is 2,584, while population of the municipality is 12,484.-Name:...
and Srbica) on 18 May 2008 due to irregularities in the electoral process.
Registered lists
A list of registered electoral lists:- For a European SerbiaFor a European SerbiaFor a European Serbia – Boris Tadić is an electoral coalition that won the Serbian parliamentary election, 2008, Vojvodina parliamentary election, 2008 and Serbian local elections, 2008...
– Boris TadićBoris TadicBoris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...
(За европску Србију – Борис Тадић) - Liberal Democratic Party – Čedomir JovanovićCedomir JovanovicČedomir "Čeda" Jovanović is a Serbian politician and president of the Liberal Democratic Party .- Early life :...
(Либерално демократска партија – Чедомир Јовановић) - Democratic Party of SerbiaDemocratic Party of SerbiaThe Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
– New SerbiaNew SerbiaNew Serbia is a political party in Serbia. It was created in 1997 by a number of dissidents from the Serbian Renewal Movement....
– Vojislav KoštunicaVojislav KoštunicaVojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
(Демократска странка Србије – Нова Србија – Војислав Коштуница) - Serbian Radical PartySerbian Radical PartyThe Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia...
– Dr Vojislav ŠešeljVojislav ŠešeljVojislav Šešelj, JD is a Serbian politician, writer and lawyer. He is the founder and president of the Serbian Radical Party and was vice-president of Serbia between 1998 and 2000...
(Српска радикална странка – Др Војислав Шешељ) - Socialist Party of SerbiaSocialist Party of SerbiaThe Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this...
– Party of United Pensioners of SerbiaParty of United Pensioners of SerbiaThe Party of United Pensioners of Serbia is a political party in Serbia. Party leader is Jovan Krkobabić. The party took part in 2007 parliamentary election in coalition with the Social Democratic Party and won no seats...
– United SerbiaUnited SerbiaUnited Serbia is a political party in Serbia, centered in Jagodina. It was previously a close ally of New Serbia, and was a member of its coalition with the Democratic Party of Serbia....
(Социјалистичка партија Србије – Партија уједињних пензионера Србије – Јединствена Србија) - Bosniak List for a European Sandžak – Dr Sulejman UgljaninSulejman UgljaninSulejman Ugljanin is an ethnic Bosniak politician from the Sandžak region of Serbia...
(Бошњачка листа за европски Санџак – др Сулејман Угљанин) M - Hungarian CoalitionHungarian CoalitionThe Hungarian Coalition ; Serbian: Мађарска Коалиција , Mađarska Koalicija ) is a political coalition composed of 3 ethnic Hungarian political parties in Serbia: the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, the Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians, and the Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians...
– Ištvan Pastor (Magyar Koalíció – Pásztor István) M - Reformist Party – Dr Aleksandar VišnjićAleksandar VišnjicAleksandar Višnjić is a Serbian politician. He is the leader of Reformist Party which took part as an independent list in Serbian parliamentary election, 2007 and 2008 but won no seats. He was a member of the Democratic Party , but left in 2004/5.-References:*...
(Реформистичка странка – др Александар Вишњић) - Serbian Strength MovementSerbian Strength MovementThe Strength of Serbia Movement is a political party in Serbia led by Bogoljub Karić. He finished third in the 2004 presidential elections....
– Bogoljub KarićBogoljub KaricBogoljub Karić ) is a businessman and politician from Serbia.- Early life :Bogoljub Karić was born on January 17, 1954 in Peć, Kosovo, Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia, to Janićije Karić and Danica Kuzmanović. He earned a degree in Geography from Prirodno-matematički fakultet in Priština and his Master's...
(Покрет снага Србије – Богољуб Карић) - Civic Initiative of GoraCivic Initiative of GoraThe Civic Initiative of Gora is a Gorani political party in Kosovo.In the legislative elections on 24 October 2004, the party won 0.2% of the popular vote and 1 out of 120 seats...
nis (Грађанска иницијатива Горанаца) M - Albanian Coalition from Preševo ValleyAlbanian Coalition from Preševo ValleyThe Albanian Coalition from Preševo Valley is a coalition of groups representing the Albanian inhabitants of the Preševo Valley in South Serbia. It ran as list number 17 in the election in January 2007, winning 16,973 votes, equalling 0.42% of the national vote, and gaining one seat....
(Коалиција Албанаца Прешевске долине) M
M — national minority list
Central Serbia
- ZES: 37.94%
- SRS: 28.93%
- DSS-NS: 12.82%
- SPS-PUPS-JS: 8.43%
- LDP: 5.29%
Campaign slogans
The parties' campaign slogans for the 2008 election:| Party | English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... slogan |
Serbian Serbian language Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries.... slogan |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| For a European Serbia | For a European Serbia | За европску Србију | |
| Liberal Democratic Party | Spread further! Serbia without borders |
Širi dalje! Srbija bez granica |
|
| DSS-NS | Support Serbia! | Подржи Србију! | |
| Serbian Radical Party | Go Serbia! | Напред Србијо! | |
| SPS-PUPS-JS | Stand up Serbia | Устани Србијо | |
| Serbian Strength Movement | Not giving Serbia up | Не дам Србију | |
For a European Serbia coalition
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...
has gathered a large pro-EU coalition around his DS and G17 Plus
G17 Plus
G17 Plus , abbreviated to G17+, is a centre-right political party in Serbia. With 22 seats in the National Assembly, it is the third-largest party, and currently participates in a coalition with, amongst others, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party...
. On the list 166 candidates are from DS, 60 from G17+ and 8 members from each of the following parties Sanjak Democratic Party
Sanjak Democratic Party
The Social Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia...
and League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats is a regionalist social democratic political party in Serbia...
. 25 seats are guaranteed for G17+, 4 seats and a Ministry in the future government for both SDP and SPO and 3 seats for LSV. However, if the alliance wins over 100 seats, their seats will gradually increase. The list's name is For a European Serbia – Boris Tadić and its leader is Dragoljub Mićunović
Dragoljub Micunovic
Dragoljub Mićunović, PhD is a prominent Serbian politician and philosopher.-Early life:...
.
The List won 102 seats, of which 25 went to G17+.
DSS-NS coalition
The populist coalition of the Prime Minister Koštunica's DSS and NS run together again. 70% of the seats go to DSS and 30% to NS. Its campaign slogan was Support Serbia!. It presented Koštunica as a candidate for PM.The Populists won 30 seats, 20 of which goes to DSS and 10 to NS.
Serbian Radical Party
Serbian Radical Party
The Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia...
ran alone in this parliamentary election. The party presented its list of 250 candidates.
SPS-PUPS-JS coalition
Socialist Party of Serbia
The Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this...
and the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia
Party of United Pensioners of Serbia
The Party of United Pensioners of Serbia is a political party in Serbia. Party leader is Jovan Krkobabić. The party took part in 2007 parliamentary election in coalition with the Social Democratic Party and won no seats...
have strengthened their links by forming a coalition, on which United Serbia
United Serbia
United Serbia is a political party in Serbia, centered in Jagodina. It was previously a close ally of New Serbia, and was a member of its coalition with the Democratic Party of Serbia....
and Movement of Veterans of Serbia
Movement of Veterans of Serbia
Movement of Veterans of Serbia is a minor political party in the Republic of Serbia. It has a single seat within the parliamentary club of the Socialist Party of Serbia within the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, as per the 21 January 2007 election, ratified on 14 February 2007.The...
will be present. 151 candidates are from SPS (with 1 from PVS), 69 from PUPS and 30 from JS. The Socialists' presidential candidate Milutin Mrkonjić
Milutin Mrkonjic
Milutin Mrkonjić is a Serbian politician. He is one of the founding members of Socialist Party of Serbia, together with Slobodan Milošević....
as been presented for Prime Minister.
Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democratic Party, Social Democratic UnionSocial Democratic Union (Serbia)
The Social Democratic Union is a social democratic political party in Serbia.At the last legislative elections, on January 21, 2007, the party was a member of the LDP-GSS-SDU-LSV Coalition that won 15 seats....
and the Christian Democratic Party of Serbia
Christian Democratic Party of Serbia
The Christian Democratic Party of Serbia is a Christian democratic political party in Serbia. At the final legislative elections in Serbia and Montenegro, held December 28, 2003, the party won no seats...
formed pre-electoral coalition. Čedomir Jovanović was its candidate for Prime Minister.
Minorities
The Party for Democratic ActionParty for Democratic Action
The Party for Democratic Action is a minority political party, representing ethnic Albanians in Southern Serbia. Its current leader is Riza Halimi.At the latest legislative election in 2007, it has won one seat in the parliament....
is determined to go on the election and gather the ethnic Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
minority parties from the Preševo Valley
Preševo Valley
The Preševo Valley , is an Albanian political catchphrase used to describe the two south Serbian municipalities of Bujanovac and Preševo, which have a majority ethnic Albanian population. Medvedja municipality is sometimes also included under this term, although it has a majority Serbian population...
. The Hungarian Coalition
Hungarian Coalition
The Hungarian Coalition ; Serbian: Мађарска Коалиција , Mađarska Koalicija ) is a political coalition composed of 3 ethnic Hungarian political parties in Serbia: the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, the Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians, and the Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians...
of Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians
Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians
The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians ; , Savez vojvođanskih Mađara ) is an ethnic Hungarian political party in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. Its chairman is István Pásztor. The former party chairman József Kasza is now its honorary president...
, Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians
Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians
Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians (Hungarian: Vajdasági Magyarok Demokratikus Közössége (VMDK), Serbian: Демократска заједница војвођанских Мађара (ДЗВМ), Demokratska zajednica vojvođanskih...
and Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians ran together after the presidential elections success in an attempt to strengthen the Magyar minority's representation. The Civic Initiative of Gora
Civic Initiative of Gora
The Civic Initiative of Gora is a Gorani political party in Kosovo.In the legislative elections on 24 October 2004, the party won 0.2% of the popular vote and 1 out of 120 seats...
ran for the first time representing the Goranis in the Serbian parliament for the very first time. The Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak
Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak
The Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak is a political party in the Sandžak region of Serbia. At the final legislative elections, 28 December 2003, the party elected one seat on the list of the Democratic Party....
gathered a Bosniac List – For a European Sanjak – Sulejman Ugljanin (Бошњачка листа – За европски Санџак – Сулејман Угљанин) coalition.
On proposal of SRS the electoral boards has changed the electoral rules for the minority parties, which now need the standard 10,000 signatures instead of privileged 3,000. This has caused an outbreak of public protest amongst Roma and Albanian minorities, who consider this a scandalous removal of positive discrimination of the national minorities, as it opens the question whether they could accumulate that many signatures in time.
Government formation
SRS has declared post-electoral cooperation forming a government with DSS, which in turn didn't disregard this possibility, but stated that there will be no more cooperation with DS or G17+, on the allegation that they do not really want to protect Kosovo. NS excluded cooperation with G17+ and LSV, calling them "anti-state" parties who "had brought down the government twice", but also did not rule out a coalition with the SRS, and furthermore claimed that the DS had talked with the DSS about throwing G17+ out of the government and having it supported by the SPS. SPS-PUPS-JS confirmed it's determined to form a post-electoral coalition with SRS and DSS-NS and excluded the possibility of any cooperation with the Europeists because of G17+ and LSV, but its leaders have continually left an option of open dialog with the DS.The European Coalition excluded all cooperation with SRS and stated that all other coalitions are in option, as long as they accept the pro-EU cause and the five principles of the former government. Regarding coalition with DSS, Koštunica can no longer count on the PM seat. LDP however, excluded the possibility to take part in any government with DSS, SPS or NS under any circumstance.
According to a post-electoral poll conducted by Strategic Marketing from 22 to 24 May 2008, 51% of the citizens support a pro-European Coalition with the Socialists and minority support (ZES, SPS-PUPS-JS & minorities), 45% a Patriotic government (SRS, DSS-NS & SPS-PUPS-JS) and 6% are undecided. On the question regarding the possibility of repeated elections:
- ZES - 111
- SRS - 75
- DSS-NS - 28
- SPS-PUPS-JS - 16
- LDP - 13
- minorities - 7
After long and difficult negotiations, the new pro-European government was formed on 7 July 2008 by 128 out of 250 parliamentary votes of ZES, SPS-PUPS-JS and 6 out of 7 minorities representatives. The new prime minister was Mirko Cvetković
Mirko Cvetkovic
Mirko Cvetković is a Serbian economist and the Prime Minister of Serbia as well as the Minister of Finance.-Biography:...
, candidate of Democratic Party.
Polls
| Party | Medium Gallup, March 2008 |
Strategic Marketing, March 2008 |
CeSID, May 2008 |
Medium Gallup, May 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRS Serbian Radical Party The Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia... |
91 | 90 | 86 | 90 |
| ZES For a European Serbia For a European Serbia – Boris Tadić is an electoral coalition that won the Serbian parliamentary election, 2008, Vojvodina parliamentary election, 2008 and Serbian local elections, 2008... |
88 | 83 | 81 | 85 |
| DSS Democratic Party of Serbia The Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March... -NS New Serbia New Serbia is a political party in Serbia. It was created in 1997 by a number of dissidents from the Serbian Renewal Movement.... |
30 | 30 | 35 | 30 |
| SPS Socialist Party of Serbia The Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this... |
16 | 17 | 19 | 19 |
| LDP | 15 | 20 | 19 | 16 |
| minorities | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| total | 250 | 250 | 250 | 250 |
Reactions
- RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
greeted what it called the democratic character of Serbian elections, emphasizing that "Serbia should not be viewed as a battlefield between Russia and the West". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov further stated that all parties in Serbia represent Serbian people who are generally close to Russia. - The EU welcomed the “clear victory of the pro-European bloc at Serbia's general elections."