SERBIA

Serbia holds snap presidential election

April 2, 2017

Serbia holds a snap presidential election, with populist Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic considered a clear favourite to win the largely ceremonial post.

Vucic, a former ultranationalist now self-declared pro-EU reformer, could even clinch victory outright in the first round, pre-election polls suggest. If he does not reach the required 50 per cent of the vote, a second round will be held on Apr 16.

Opposition candidates include pro-Western liberal Sasa Jankovic; former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who is supported by conservative and pro-Russian groups; and ultranationalist Vojislav Seselj, who has been cleared of war crimes by a UN court but still faces an appeals process.

Opposition parties argue that the election can not be free and fair because Vucic controls most of the mainstream media and has chosen an election date that allows for only a very short campaign - the election was announced just one month in advance on Mar 2. Parliament was promptly suspended until after the vote, depriving the opposition of one of few venues for criticizing Vucic’s politics.

Vucic will remain as prime minister during his campaign, as he is not obliged to resign by law.

Athough the position of president is much less influential than that of prime minister, it is widely believed that Vucic will keep control over key decisions, as the most powerful political figure of the ruling party.

The vote is important as its outcome could determine whether Serbia continues on its path towards European Union membership or moves closer to Russia, its traditional ally.

If Vucic manages to change roles in power, in a reverse version of what Vladimir Putin did in Russia in 2012, we don’t know as yet who might be the present-day Dmitry Medvedev to replace him as Prime Minister.

#22100 Published: March 20, 2017