Parliamentary and Local Elections in Serbia 2023
The December 2023 Serbian parliamentary and local elections unfolded against the tragic backdrop of two mass shootings in May, triggering a public outcry and widespread protests that demanded increased security measures. Serbia’s political landscape, characterized by a democratic façade but inherently unfair conditions for inter-party competition, defined the elections’ outcome. The ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led by President Vučić, was drawing on its incumbent advantage to realize its predominance in media representation, misuse public funds, and manipulate voter registers. The SNS secured an absolute majority with 46% of the votes. However, allegations of electoral irregularities marred the elections. Instead of resolving societal conflicts, the elections deepened existing tensions. Addressing these allegations transparently and accountably will be crucial for restoring confidence and fostering political stability in Serbia.
Dušan Pavlović
Dušan Pavlović is political economist. He received his PhD from the Central European University in Budapest in 2002. He is currently teaching political economy and public choice at the Faculty of political science, Universityof Belgrade. His Areas of interes are political economy of democratic institutions, and rational and public choice theory.