Vučić’s landslide and a deadlock in Belgrade: Lessons learned from the Serbian 2023 Election

After polling stations in Serbia closed on Sunday evening, it was abundantly clear that the coalition led by President Aleksandar Vučić had emerged victorious in these snap parliamentary and municipal elections, held just a year after the previous elections. Not only did they secure a win, but they also garnered more votes than in 2022. With an absolute majority of 129 seats in the 250-seat National Assembly, they can form a government without any partners. On the flip side, the largest opposition list, “Serbia Against Violence” (SPN), is poised to secure 65 seats based on preliminary results.

Beyond the national level, the main attention was focused on local elections in Belgrade where the liberal opposition hoped to unseat the pro-Vučić mayor. The battle for the majority in the City Assembly remains open amid accusations of severe irregularities, since neither of the two major parties has conceded defeat in the capital. However, a new party led by a right-wing anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist has become a surprise factor and is likely to be the decisive player and kingmaker in shaping the local government in Belgrade.