Serbian parliamentary election, 2008

Infobox Election
election_name = Serbian parliamentary election, 2008
country = Serbia
type = parliamentary
ongoing = no
previous_election = Serbian parliamentary election, 2007
previous_year = 2007
next_election = Serbian parliamentary election, 2012
next_year = 2012
seats_for_election = All 250 seats to the Narodna skupština
election_date = May 11, 2008


leader1 = Boris Tadić
party1 = Democratic Party (Serbia)
leaders_seat1 =
last_election1 = 60 (64) seats
(DS-led coalition)
seats1 = 65 (in a coalition along with G17+, 102)
seat_change1 = +5 (totally +16)
popular_vote1 = 1,590,200
percentage1 = 38.42%


leader2 = Tomislav Nikolić "(de facto)"Vojislav Šešelj at the Hague Tribunal
party2 = Serbian Radical Party
leaders_seat2 =
last_election2 = 81 seats
seats2 = 76 (78)
(SRS-led coalition)
seat_change2 = -5 (-3)
popular_vote2 = 1,219,436
percentage2 = 29.46%

map_

map_size = 250px
map_caption = Map showing winning/leading parties in each districts. Golden Yellow, dark blue and blue indicate ZES, DSS and SRS respectively

title = PM
before_election = Vojislav Koštunica
before_party = Democratic Party of Serbia
after_election = Mirko Cvetković
after_party = noneA pre-term parliamentary election was held in the Republic of 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.

Background

The Serbian government 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&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. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=11&nav_id=48356 B92 - News - Politics - Tadić to dissolve parliament on March 13 ] ]

A revote was held in three polling stations (in Kraljevo, Žagubica and Srbica) on 18 May 2008 due to irregularities in the electoral process. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=18&nav_id=50333 B92 - News - Politics - Revote ongoing in six polling stations ] ]

Registered lists

A list of registered electoral lists [ [http://www.rik.parlament.sr.gov.yu/cirilica/propisi_frames.htm Aktivnosti ] ] [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?mm=5&dd=1&yyyy=2008 RIK confirms final ballot list] ] :
# For a European Serbia – Boris Tadić (За европску Србију – Борис Тадић)
# Liberal Democratic Party – Čedomir Jovanović (Либерално демократска партија – Чедомир Јовановић)
# Democratic Party of Serbia – New Serbia – Vojislav Koštunica (Демократска странка Србије – Нова Србија – Војислав Коштуница)
# Serbian Radical Party – Dr Vojislav Šešelj (Српска радикална странка – Др Војислав Шешељ)
# Socialist Party of Serbia – Party of United Pensioners of Serbia – United Serbia (Социјалистичка партија Србије – Партија уједињних пензионера Србије – Јединствена Србија)
# Bosniak List for a European Sandžak – Dr Sulejman Ugljanin (Бошњачка листа за европски Санџак – др Сулејман Угљанин) ^M
# Hungarian Coalition – Ištvan Pastor (Magyar Koalíció – Pásztor István) ^M
# Reformist Party – Dr Aleksandar Višnjić (Реформистичка странка – др Александар Вишњић)
# If It Were Up to the Village – People's Peasant Party – Marijan Rističević (Да се село пита – Народна сељачка странка – Маријан Ристичевић)
# Serbian Strength Movement – Bogoljub Karić (Покрет снага Србије – Богољуб Карић)
# Civic Initiative of Goranis (Грађанска иницијатива Горанаца) ^M
# United Vlachs of Serbia – Dr Predrag Balašević (Уједињени Власи Србије – др Предраг Балашевић) ^M
# Vojvodina's Party – Igor Kurjački (Војвођанска партија – мр Игор Курјачки)
# Roma for Roma – Miloš Paunković (Роми за Рома – Милош Паунковић) ^M
# Montenegrin Party – Nenad Stevović (Црногорска партија – Ненад Стевовић) ^M
# Roma Union of Serbia – Dr Rajko Đurić (Унија Рома Србије – др Рајко Ђурић) ^M
# Albanian Coalition from Preševo Valley (Коалиција Албанаца Прешевске долине) ^M
# League of the Bačka Bunjevci – Mirko Bajić (Савез бачких Буњеваца – Мирко Бајић) ^M
# My Serbia Movement – Branislav Lečić (Покрет Моја Србија – Бранислав Лечић)
# People's Movement for Serbia – Milan Paroški (Народни покрет за Србију – Милан Парошки)
# Patriotic Party of the Diaspora – Zoran Milinković (Патриотска странка дијаспоре – Зоран Милинковић)
# Roma Party – Srđan Šajn (Ромска партија – Срђан Шајн) ^M

^M — national minority list

Results

*Election References [ [http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/10076/ "Serb Nationalists Defiant over Democrats' Win"] "balkaninsight.com 11 May 2008 Link accessed 12/05/08 ] [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=11&nav_id=50146 "DS coalition wins, set to seek coalition partners"] "b92.net 11 May 2008 Link accessed 12/05/08 ] [ [http://www.cesid.org/eng/rezultati/sr_maj_2008/index.jsp "CeSID :: Elections"] "CeSID 12 May 2008 Link accessed 12/05/08 ] Results

Central Serbia:
*ZES: 37.94%
*SRS: 28.93%
*DSS-NS: 12.82%
*SPS-PUPS-JS: 8.43%
*LDP: 5.29%

Vojvodina:
*ZES: 41.83%
*SRS: 29.28%
*DSS-NS: 6.99%
*LDP: 5.46%
*SPS-PUPS-JS: 5.2%

Kosovo-Metohija:
*SRS: 45.96%
*DSS-NS: 25.92%
*ZES: 14.36%
*SPS-PUPS-JS: 8.95%
*LDP: 0.66%

Campaign slogans

The parties' campaign slogans for the 2008 election:

Lists

"For a European Serbia" coalition

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.
* Campaign Website: [http://www.zaevropskusrbiju.rs/ For a European Serbia]

The List won 102 or 103 seats, of which 25 will go to G17+.

DSS-NS coalition

The populist coalition of the Prime Minister Koštunica's DSS and NS will run again. 70% of the seats will go to DSS and 30% to NS. Its campaign slogan is "Support Serbia!". It presented Koštunica as a candidate for PM.

The Populists won 30 seats, 20 of which will go to DSS and 10 to NS.

Serbian Radical Party

The Serbian Radical Party will run alone in this parliamentary election. The party presented its list of 250 candidates.

SPS-PUPS-JS coalition

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.

Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democratic Party, Social Democratic Union and the Christian Democratic Party of Serbia formed pre-electoral coalition. The lists' name is LDP – Čedomir Jovanović (ЛДП – Чедомир Јовановић) and Jovanović is its candidate for Prime Minister.

Minorities

The Party for Democratic Action is determined to go on the election and gather the ethnic Albanian minority parties from the Presevo Valley. The Hungarian Coalition of Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians and Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians of will run after the presidential elections success in an attempt to strengthen the Magyar minority's representation. The Roma Union of Serbia will run too, its slogan being "Courageous and Smart for a European Serbia"; on its list the ex legendary football club Red Star trainer and player Dragan Džajić, currently in custody for alleged links with the football mafia, will be present. The Civic Initiative of Gora will run for the first time represent the Goranis in the Serbian parliament for the very first time. The Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak is gathering a Bosniac List – For a European Sanjak – Sulejman Ugljanin (Бошњачка листа – За европски Санџак – Сулејман Угљанин) coalition. The Democratic Party of Bulgarians supported it. The newly-formed Montenegrin Party started gathering signatures for the election, the first ethnic Montenegrin political party in Serbia.

On proposal of SRS the electoral boards has changed the electoral rules for the minorities, which will know 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.

Others

Branislav Lečić's Movement "My Serbia" will run independent. The Patriotic Party of the Diaspora will run in an attempt to increase representation of the diaspora in Serbia.

Possible government

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. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=13&nav_id=48414 B92 - News - Politics - Ilić won't rule out coalition with Radicals ] ] SPS-PUPS-JS confirmed it's determined to form a post-electoral coalition with SRS and DSS-NS [ [http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=21&nav_id=290270&nav_category=418 B92 - Vesti - Dačić: Osvojiti što više glasova - Internet, Radio i TV stanica; najnovije vesti iz Srbije ] ] 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, 45% a Patriotic government 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

Polls [Blic]

Reactions

Russia 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". [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=14&nav_id=50235 "Lavrov: Elections prove Serbia's democratic character"] 13 May 2008 Link accessed 13/05/08] 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." [ [http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/10075/ "EU Hails Serb Pro-European Bloc's Victory"] "balkaninsight.net 11 May 2008 Link accessed 12/05/08] Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci welcomed the outcome as good for democracy in Serbia and peace and stability in the region. "My message to President Tadic is to think more for Brussels and NATO than for Kosovo," said Thaci. "He knows personally too that Kosovo is independent, a sovereign and democratic country, and Kosovo and me personally, I am ready to co-operate with Serbia as two states for a better future for our countries and our people." [ [http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=486271&lng=1 " Kosovo's leader hails Serbian election outcome"] "euronews.net" 12 May 2008 Link accessed 12/05/08 ]

See also

*2008 local elections in Kosovo

External links

* [http://www.rik.parlament.sr.gov.yu/index_e.htm Republic Electoral Commission]

References