Serbian Elections

La Repubblica highlights the landslide victory of the Serbian Progressive Party led by President Aleksandar Vučić, with SNS receiving a solid majority of the votes, followed by the socialists who received a mere 10% and are close allies of the SNS government, and the Patriotic Alliance with 3.9% of the votes. The elections were the first in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to maintain health standards, voters had to respect social distancing rules and wear a mask. Yet even with social distancing requirements, not even half of the 6.5 million eligible voters cast their ballots, lowering turnout by 8% since the last elections four years ago. This may have to do with the weak and divided opposition, consisting of a coalition of almost every other party across the spectrum, from right-wing extremists to the democratic center-left party.

Vecernji reports how, once again, the Croatian national minority in Serbia is left without representation in neither the Serbian Parliament nor the parliament in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, after the Democratic Alliance of Croats failed to cross the electoral threshold. Vecernji notes that it remains to be seen how this will affect the already tenuous relationship between Serbs and Croats. Croats in Vojvodina tend to be excluded from political decisions, are under-represented in the public and private sector, and suffer from insufficient funding. Tomislav Žigmanov, President of the Democratic Alliance, notes that a 2004 agreement signed by Croatia and Serbia would guarantee members of the Croatian community seats in the Serbian parliament, with a similar agreement for Serbs in Croatia. So far, however, the agreement has not been applied in Serbia. However, Deputy President of the Party of Freedom and Justice Borko Stefanović notes that Vučić will be closely monitored by the world and the EU, especially if he wants EU membership.  

According to FAZ, Serbia's election result has encouraged many political observers of the Balkans to believe that Serbia has thereby further aligned itself with Russia. The article mentions the failed attempt of the opposition to boycott the elections, trying to convince voters of how the government was controlling the media and misusing public funds to bolster its own campaign. The article also refers to political scientist Francis Fukuyama, who believes that Serbia is moving towards authoritarianism and away from EU membership. This is furthered by the relationship between the US and Serbia, with right-wing Serbian parties pushing for the re-election of Donald Trump. Regardless of the Serbian election result, there are also doubts among pro-EU elites in the Balkans about whether EU Member States are truly willing to accept new members to the bloc. Instead, they believe Serbia's political regime might as well turn to the East to avoid accession talks that are doomed to fail.

Radio Europa Libera România writes how Serbia is in a delicate position, as it aims to advance EU accession talks while at the same time hoping to receive preferential treatment from the US and Russia. Meanwhile, Bucharest would rather that Serbia stay out of the Russian sphere of influence, wary of the relationship, as Romania is surrounded by Russian strongholds including Ukraine and Moldova. The article portrays Serbia as a Russian outpost in the Balkans, highlighting Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov's support for President Vučić ahead of the elections. However, the relationship with Russia could hinder talks between Serbia and Kosovo which are currently facilitated by the EU and the US separately. The article concludes by stating that it seems unlikely that prospects of EU membership can make Serbia more democratic or limit the country's ties with Moscow.