Next Serbian parliamentary election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections will be held in Serbia by 31 December 2027 to elect members of the National Assembly. Since 2025, Aleksandar Vučić, the president of Serbia, has suggested that the election could be held earlier and together with the presidential ones.
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By 31 December 2027
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All 250 seats in the National Assembly 126 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) came to power in 2012 after forming a government with Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). In the 2023 parliamentary election, SNS regained its parliamentary majority. Protests were briefly organised after the elections due to alleged electoral fraud. Miloš Vučević became the prime minister of Serbia in May 2024. In the aftermath of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse in November 2024, the student-led anti-corruption protests began, while in January 2025, Vučević announced his resignation from office. He was succeeded by Đuro Macut in April. The students have announced their participation in the elections. In 2026, the Mrdić's Laws and changes to several election laws were adopted by the National Assembly.
Background
A populist coalition, led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), came to power after the 2012 election, along with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS).[1][2] Aleksandar Vučić, who initially served as deputy prime minister of Serbia and later as prime minister of Serbia,[3] was elected president of Serbia in 2017 and re-elected in 2022.[4][5] Since he came to power, observers have assessed that Serbia has suffered from democratic backsliding into authoritarianism, followed by a decline in media freedom and civil liberties.[6][7] The V-Dem Institute has categorised Serbia as an electoral autocracy since 2014,[8] while Freedom House noted in 2024 that SNS "eroded political rights and civil liberties, put pressure on independent media, the opposition, and civil society organisations".[9][10]
On 17 December 2023, a snap parliamentary election was held in Serbia.[11] The election resulted in a victory of the SNS-led Serbia Must Not Stop electoral alliance that won a majority of seats in the National Assembly of Serbia. The second place was obtained by Serbia Against Violence (SPN), a broad coalition of opposition parties, that won 65 seats in total. The SPS electoral alliance, however, collapsed in popularity and only won 18 seats, its worst result since the 2007 parliamentary election.[12] Despite this, according to non-governmental and monitoring organisations, the election day was marked with electoral fraud and irregularities such as the Bulgarian train and vote buying.[13][14] After the election, protests were held up to 30 December, with its organisers, including SPN, calling for the results to be annulled.[15][16] Amidst the protests, a riot occurred after an unsuccessful attempt from opposition councillors to enter the building of the City Assembly of Belgrade.[17] After several months of negotiations, SNS formed a new government on 2 May, with Miloš Vučević, the president of SNS, as prime minister.[18]
Student-led protests
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In the aftermath of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse in November 2024, ministers Goran Vesić and Tomislav Momirović announced their resignation from office.[19][20] Their resignation was acknowledged by the National Assembly on 25 November.[21] Student-led anti-corruption protests also began in November 2024, with one of the demands being the release of Novi Sad railway station canopy documents to the public.[22] At the protest on Slavija Square on 22 December, it was estimated that 100,000 demonstrators were present at the protest.[23] A major series of civil disobedience that were promoted as a "general strike" also occurred on 24 January 2025.[24][25] At a 15 March protest, it was estimated that over 325,000 demonstrators were present.[26]
After a group of students were physically attacked in Novi Sad, Vučević announced his resignation from office on 28 January.[27] His resignation was acknowledged by the National Assembly on 19 March.[28] Đuro Macut succeeded Vučević as prime minister on 16 April.[29] Macut is the third independent politician to be nominated for the office of prime minister of Serbia.[30] After his inauguration, the student movement also demanded a snap parliamentary election to be held and announced that they would participate in the upcoming election.[31]
As of 2026, the protests are still being held.[32] The latest largest one was held on 23 May, attended by between 180,000 and 190,000 people, according to the non-governmental organisation Archive of Public Gatherings.[33]
Mrdić's Laws
The Public Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime (TOK) had launched an investigation about the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse and Trump Tower Belgrade (General Staff Building) in 2024 and 2025, respectively.[34] In the aftermath of the canopy collapse, the TOK indicted former ministers Momirović and Vesić.[35] The government had introduced a lex specialis regarding the General Staff Building, which removed the building's status as a cultural property, and Jared Kushner's company was supposed to build Trump Tower Belgrade on the building's property.[36] However, on 15 December 2025, the TOK filed an indictment against minister Nikola Selaković, stating that he abused his public position and that he falsified documents related to the lex specialis.[37] Selaković denied the accusations, claiming that the General Staff Building never had the status as a cultural property.[38] In response to the indictment, Kushner's company announced that it abandoned the Trump Tower Belgrade project.[39]
Uglješa Mrdić, a member of the National Assembly affiliated with the SNS, submitted the proposals to the National Assembly on 22 December 2025.[40] The laws were adopted on 28 January; a majority of MPs voted in favour.[41] Vučić signed Mrdić's Laws two days later.[42] They went into effect on 9 February.[43] Mrdić's proposals would put the TOK and Public Prosecutor's Office for War Crimes subordinate to the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade,[44][45] which is headed by Nenad Stefanović, a Vučić loyalist.[46] The journalist Vuk Jeremić of Insajder also reported that the reorganisation of the Prosecutor's Office for High-Tech Crime under the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade could increase the number of criminal proceedings related to social media comments.[47]
Those supportive of Mrdić's Laws claim that the efficiency of the judiciary would be increased and improved.[48] The TOK, High Council of the Judiciary, High Council of the Prosecutor's Office, Republic Prosecutor's Office, Association of Prosecutors of Serbia, and the Association of Judges of Serbia expressed their opposition to the changes,[49] alongside European Commissioners Marta Kos and Michael McGrath,[50][51] and the political opposition.[52] In response to the negative reception, Brnabić announced that the government would seek an opinion from the Venice Commission.[53]
Electoral system
The 250 members of the National Assembly are elected by closed-list proportional representation from a single nationwide constituency.[54][55] Eligible voters vote for electoral lists, on which the candidates of the accepted lists are present. A maximum of 250 candidates could be present on a single electoral list. An electoral list could be submitted by a registered political party, a coalition of political parties, or a citizens' group.[55] To submit an electoral list, at least 10,000 valid signatures must be collected, though ethnic minority parties only need to collect 5,000 signatures to qualify on the ballot.[55][56] At least 40% of candidates on electoral lists must be female.[57] The electoral list is submitted by its chosen representative or representatives. An electoral list could be declined, after which those who had submitted can fix the deficiencies in a span of 48 hours, or rejected, if the person is not authorised to nominate candidates. The name and date of the election, names of the electoral lists and its representatives, and information on how to vote are only present on the voting ballot.[58]
The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK), local election commissions, and polling boards oversee the election.[58] Seats are allocated using the d'Hondt method with an electoral threshold of 3% of all votes cast, although the threshold is waived for ethnic minority parties.[54][59] The seats are distributed by dividing the total number of votes received by the electoral list participating in the distribution of seats by each number from one to 250. If two or more electoral lists receive the same quotients on the basis of which the seat is distributed, the electoral list that received the greater number of votes has priority.[58] Parliamentary seats are awarded to candidates from electoral lists according to their order, starting with the first candidate from an electoral list.[55]
A parliamentary election is called by the president of Serbia, who also has to announce its date and dissolve the National Assembly in the process.[55][58] To vote, a person has to be a citizen and resident of Serbia and at least 18 years old.[60] For those who live abroad, they are able to vote at diplomatic missions.[54] At least five days before the election, citizens are notified about the election; citizens receive information about the day and time of the election and the address of the polling station where they can vote.[55] Election silence begins two days before the voting day, and it lasts until the closure of all polling stations.[61] During the election day, eligible voters could vote from 07:00 (UTC+01:00) to 20:00, though if the polling station is opened later than 07:00, voting is then extended by the amount of time for which the opening of the polling station was delayed.[58][62] Voters who are not able to vote at polling stations due to being sick, old, or invalid have to inform their election commission between 7:00 and 11:00 so that they could vote on the election day from their home after 11:00.[62]
Election date
By law, the next parliamentary election should take place by 31 December 2027.[60] The election could be scheduled earlier.[63] Vučić announced in 2024 that the next parliamentary election and presidential election would be held on the same date in 2027, thus making it a general election.[64] Vučević also echoed that elections would not be held prior 2027.[65] However, Darko Glišić, the president of the executive board of SNS, said that there could still be a possibility of holding elections earlier despite the government's plan being to complete the entire four-year mandate.[66][67] Political analyst Dragomir Anđelković argued that the next parliamentary election would be only held after the completion of the Expo 2027 fair and the expansion of the Belgrade Waterfront project.[68]
During the student-led anti-corruption protests, Vučić and Vučević suggested holding snap elections in response to the opposition's call for the formation of a transitional government.[69][70] In the aftermath of Vučević's resignation announcement, it was suggested that either snap elections would be called or a new government would be formed.[71][72] In March 2025, Vučić suggested holding elections on 1 or 8 June if a new government was not to be formed by 18 April.[73] However, Vučić nominated Đuro Macut as Vučević's successor in early April,[74] who succeeded Vučević as prime minister on 16 April.[29] In December 2025, Vučić suggested that elections could be held in May or December 2026.[75]
Bloomberg Adria reported that Vučić considers holding the election before March 2027.[76] In April 2026, Vučić suggested that parliamentary elections could be held by Vidovdan (28 June).[77] He then held consultations with various political parties about early elections, including the Movement of Socialists (PS), Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), Justice and Reconciliation Party (SPP),[78] Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS), We – Voice from the People (MI–GIN),[79] SPS, Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina, Social Democratic Party of Serbia,[80] SNS, and United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga".[81] Opposition parties declined to take part in the consultations.[82] Aleksandar Vulin of PS,[83] Bálint Pásztor of VMSZ,[84] and Branko Pavlović of MI–GIN said that they opposed early elections,[85] while Usame Zukorlić of SPP said that his party was ready for early elections.[86] PUPS and SDPS expressed concern about the current political atmosphere,[87][88] while Vučević of SNS said that his party "is always ready for elections" (spremna za izbore kad god budu održani).[89] Vučić later consulted with United Serbia (JS), Greens of Serbia, Russian Party (RS), People's Party, Alternative for Changes, United Peasant Party (USS),[90] Strength of Serbia Movement, Serbian Renewal Movement, and Serbian Radical Party.[91]
Election conditions
After the election protests, the European Parliament adopted a resolution regarding the election in February 2024, calling for it to be internationally investigated.[92] The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) also published a report on elections, concluding that it was marked with numerous irregularities and the abuse of public institutions.[93] In response to ODIHR's recommendation of initiating further changes to improve election conditions, the National Assembly of Serbia formed a working body on improving election conditions in April 2024.[94] At its first session, Nemanja Nenadić, the director of Transparency Serbia, was elected its chairman.[95] Nenadić announced that the proposed changes would have to be voted by the National Assembly by July 2025.[96] However, in February 2025, opposition parties and non-government organisations, such as Transparency Serbia and CRTA, left the working body on improving election conditions due to obstructions from the government.[97][98]
In response to the 2024 Belgrade City Assembly election, ODIHR published another report in which it concluded that the election was again marked by irregularities.[99] ODIHR representatives further met with minister Jelena Žarić Kovačević and RIK representatives in September 2024.[100][101] The representatives of opposition parties boycotted the public hearing of the Committee for Constitutional Issues and Legislation in January 2025, where the amendments of the Law on the Unified Voter List were presented, citing obstruction from the government to improve election conditions and the voter list.[102][103]
In May 2026, the National Assembly adopted changes to several election laws, dubbed Petrašinović's Laws,[104] which were listed on ODIHR recommendations that were published after the 2023 parliamentary election. Despite this, the political opposition and non-governmental organisations criticised the changes. The European Commission welcomed the changes. ODIHR commented on the adoption of the laws, noting that major suggestions that were recommended several years ago still have not been addressed.[105] This was also repeated by the director of Transparency Serbia.[106] Brnabić, however, claims that the government adopted over 70% of ODIHR's recommendations.[107]
Political parties
The table below lists political parties and coalitions elected to the National Assembly after the 2023 parliamentary election.[108] The final results were published on 3 January 2024.[109]
| Name | Ideology | Political position | Leader(s) | 2023 result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | |||||
| Serbia Must Not Stop | Populism | Big tent | Miloš Vučević | 48.07% | 129 / 250 | |
| Serbia Against Violence | Anti-corruption | Big tent | Marinika Tepić Miroslav Aleksić |
24.32% | 65 / 250 | |
| SPS–JS–Zeleni | Populism | Big tent | Ivica Dačić | 6.73% | 18 / 250 | |
| National Democratic Alternative | National conservatism | Right-wing | Miloš Jovanović | 5.16% | 13 / 250 | |
| We – Voice from the People | Right-wing populism | Right-wing | Collective leadership | 4.82% | 13 / 250 | |
| Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians | Minority politics | Bálint Pásztor | 1.74% | 6 / 250 | ||
| SPP–DSHV | Usame Zukorlić | 0.78% | 2 / 250 | |||
| SDA Sandžak | Sulejman Ugljanin | 0.59% | 2 / 250 | |||
| Political Battle of the Albanians Continues | Shaip Kamberi | 0.36% | 1 / 250 | |||
| RS–NKPJ | Slobodan Nikolić | 0.31% | 1 / 250 | |||
| Source: Republic Bureau of Statistics[108] | ||||||
Current composition
The fourteenth convocation of the National Assembly held its constitutive session on 6 February 2024, at which the parliamentary composition was formalised.[110] Ana Brnabić of SNS was elected president of the National Assembly on 19 March, while Sandra Božić (SNS), Marina Raguš (SNS), Snežana Paunović (SPS), Elvira Kovács (Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, VMSZ), Edin Đerlek (Justice and Reconciliation Party, SPP), and Jovan Janjić (We – Voice from the People, MI–GIN) were elected vice-presidents.[111] Božić remained vice-president until May 2024, when she became the vice-president of the government of Vojvodina.[112][113] Nevena Đurić was elected vice-president in March 2025.[114]
| Groups | Parties | MPs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Total | ||||
| Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia Must Not Stop | SNS | 105 | 110 | ||
| SPO | 2 | ||||
| SNP | 1 | ||||
| NSS | 1 | ||||
| SSD | 1 | ||||
| Ivica Dačić – Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) | SPS | 11 | 12 | ||
| Zeleni | 1 | ||||
| People's Movement of Serbia – New Face of Serbia | NPS | 10 | 12 | ||
| NLS | 2 | ||||
| Party of Freedom and Justice | SSP | 12 | 12 | ||
| New DSS and Monarchists – NADA | NDSS | 7 | 10 | ||
| Monarchists–PKS | 3 | ||||
| Green–Left Front – Don't Let Belgrade Drown | ZLF | 10 | 10 | ||
| Democratic Party – DS | DS | 8 | 8 | ||
| Serbia Centre – SRCE | SRCE | 8 | 8 | ||
| We – Voice from the People | MI–GIN | 6 | 6 | ||
| PSG–SDA of Sandžak–PDD | PSG | 3 | 6 | ||
| SDAS | 2 | ||||
| PVD/PDD | 1 | ||||
| PUPS – Solidarity and Justice | PUPS | 6 | 6 | ||
| Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians | VMSZ/SVM | 6 | 6 | ||
| Social Democratic Party of Serbia | SDPS | 6 | 6 | ||
| Dragan Marković Palma – United Serbia | JS | 5 | 5 | ||
| Ecological Uprising | EU | 5 | 5 | ||
| We – Power of the People prof dr Branimir Nestorović | MI–SN | 5 | 5 | ||
| Workers' Party – Russian Party – United Peasant Party | RP | 3 | 5 | ||
| RS | 1 | ||||
| USS | 1 | ||||
| Healthy Serbia – Movement of Socialists | ZS | 2 | 5 | ||
| PS | 2 | ||||
| SNP | 1 | ||||
| MPs not members of parliamentary groups | POKS | 3 | 13 | ||
| SPP | 2 | ||||
| ZS | 1 | ||||
| RZS–S | 1 | ||||
| Ind. | 6 | ||||
Pre-election activities
Government parties
Following the 2023 elections, Vučević announced that the idea of the People's Movement for the State (NPZD) would continue to be discussed for the next parliamentary election.[116] SNS formed a joint alliance, named "Belgrade Tomorrow", in April 2024 for the June 2024 Belgrade City Assembly election; in addition to its partners, the list also included the minor government coalition members Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), as well far-right Serbian Party Oathkeepers (SSZ) and Serbian Radical Party (SRS).[117] Vučević said that with the formation of the list, NPZD was also effectively formalised.[118] However, Vučić announced in December 2024 that NPZD would be formed in March 2025.[119] A rally promoting the movement was held on 24 January 2025.[120] NPZD was registered on 28 March and it opened its first offices in September 2025.[121][122] In the same month, in an interview with Insajder, minister Demo Beriša suggested that NPZD could participate in the next parliamentary election.[123]
Radoslav Milojičić, the president of the Serbian Left party, switched his affiliation to SNS in June 2024.[124] Dragan Marković, the president of the JS and its parliamentary group, died on 22 November.[125] Igor Braunović, who was elected on the SPS list in 2023, left SPS and its parliamentary group in February 2025, citing difference on issues such as lithium mining and the anti-corruption protests.[126]
In October 2024, Željko Veselinović and Đorđo Đorđić left the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) parliamentary group.[127] They were followed by Sonja Pernat and Irena Živković on 19 November.[128] Three days later, they formed the "Movement Sloga – Experts Should Have A Say" parliamentary group.[129] Sloga leader Veselinović also announced the formation of the Workers' Party (RP);[128] they began collecting signatures to form the party in December 2024.[130] In response to the consultations that Sloga took part in April 2026, two MPs of the Sloga parliamentary group announced that they would leave the parliamentary group once the National Assembly is in session.[131] Veselinović went onto form a parliamentary group with the pro-government parties RS and USS soon after.[132] In May, the RP was registered,[133] announcing their participation in the parliamentary elections.[134]
Opposition parties
SPN ceased to exist in April 2024 due to a dispute between its parties on whether to boycott the 2024 Belgrade City Assembly election.[135] SSP, Serbia Centre, and Together opted to boycott the election, while the rest of SPN parties took part under the We Choose Belgrade banner.[136] A rift between the SSP and Movement of Free Citizens (PSG) occurred in the National Assembly in March 2024. The three PSG MPs decided to leave the SSP–PSG parliamentary group and continue as MPs without a parliamentary group.[137] SSP remained in the charge of their parliamentary group.[138]
In the aftermath of the acknowledgment of Vučević's resignation, former members of SPN and NADA presented a plan on the formation of a transitional government. At a press conference on 20 March, Biljana Đorđević, the co-president of the Green–Left Front, said that according to their plan, the transitional government would fulfill student demands, organise free and fair elections, and revise the voter list.[139][140] The Democratic Party (DS) elected its new president, Srđan Milivojević, on 14 December 2024.[141] Milivojević subsequently launched a campaign on consolidating progressive parties; Together merged into DS on 27 December.[142][143] The MI–GIN also suffered a split in 2024, with Branimir Nestorović and his allies forming the We – Power of the People.[144] Initially, the party acquired 7 MPs, but lost two in July and December 2024, respectively.[145][146] In March 2026, another MP, Aleksandar Pavić, left the party due to disagreements with Nestorović.[147]
The National Democratic Alternative, led by Miloš Jovanović, has announced their participation in the election.[148] Jovanović suggested that three opposition lists should participate in the election. This includes nationalist and pro-European lists, as well as the student list.[149] In April 2026, Miroslav Aleksić, the president of the People's Movement of Serbia, and Miloš Parandilović, the president of the New Face of Serbia, suggested that students and opposition parties should participate on a joint electoral list.[150][151]
Students
Since the start of the student-led anti-corruption protests, parties such as DS have pledged to not participate in the next parliamentary election if students form an electoral list.[152] According to Danas, other opposition parties refused to comment until the elections get officially scheduled.[153] The Green–Left Front (ZLF) expressed support for the student list if the elections are to be held during summer of 2026.[154]
Since 2025, the creation of the Student List has been speculated in the public.[155] In June 2025, a political programme was released by students, in which they presented their conditions for candidates on the Student List. The programme lists the fullfilment of protest demands as one of the goals.[156] In November 2025, the magazine Vreme published a list of names that were allegedly proposed by the University of Novi Sad for the list.[157] Vladan Đokić, the current rector of the University of Belgrade, in an interview with the magazine Radar, said that his role in the parliamentary or presidential elections will be decided by students and the public.[158]
Opinion polls
Opinion polling for Serbian parliamentary elections has been conducted by various monitoring and research organisations such as Faktor Plus, Ipsos, and Nova srpska politička misao.[159]
Graphical summary
The graph below showcases major parties and alliances in opinion polls from the 2023 parliamentary election to the present day.
