2008 Serbian parliamentary election

none Serbia 2004 2007 2012 All 250 seats in the National Assembly 126 11 May 2008 61.33% ( 0.72pp) ZES Boris Tadić 87 102 39.25 #FAD703 Serbian Radical Party Tomislav Nikolić 81 78 30.10 DSS–NS Vojislav Koštunica 43 30 11.87 SPS–PUPS–JS Ivica Dačić 16 20 7.75 LDP–DHSS–SDU Čedomir Jovanović 11 13 5.35 Minority lists Hungarian Coalition István Pásztor 3 4 1.85 List for Sandžak Sulejman Ugljanin 2 2 0.94 Albanian Coalition of Preševo Valley Riza Halimi 1 1 0.41 File:2008 Serbian parliamentary election map.svg 280px Results by municipalities#FFE000 silver ZES #00F silver SRS #126180 silver DSS–NS #00732B silver MK #069443 silver LZS #0081CC silver KSLP Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica Democratic Party of Serbia Mirko Cvetković Independent politician Parliamentary elections were held in Serbia on 11 May 2008 to elect members of the National Assembly. The election was held 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 stations for refugees from Kosovo. Background The Government of Serbia 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 and 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.B92 - News - Politics - Tadić to dissolve parliament on March 13 https://web.archive.org/web/20080313210849/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=11&nav_id=48356 March 13, 2008 A revote was held in three polling stations (in Kraljevo, Žagubica and Srbica) on 18 May 2008 due to irregularities in the electoral process.B92 – News – Politics – Revote ongoing in six polling stations https://web.archive.org/web/20110607023252/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=18&nav_id=50333 June 7, 2011 Electoral lists A list of registered electoral lists:RIK confirms final ballot list https://web.archive.org/web/20121111222210/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=01&nav_id=49889 November 11, 2012 Ballot name Ballot carrier Main ideology Political position Note 1 For a European Serbia – Boris Tadić DS, G17+, SDP, LSV, SPO, DSHV Dragoljub Mićunović Social liberalism Centre to centre-left 2 Liberal Democratic Party – Čedomir Jovanović LDP, SDU, DHSS Čedomir Jovanović Liberalism Centre 3 Democratic Party of Serbia – New Serbia – Vojislav Koštunica DSS, NS Vojislav Koštunica National conservatism Right-wing 4 Serbian Radical Party – Dr Vojislav Šešelj SRS Vojislav Šešelj Ultranationalism Far-right 5 Socialist Party of Serbia – Party of United Pensioners of Serbia – United Serbia SPS, PUPS, JS Ivica Dačić Populism Big tent 6 Bosniak List for European Sandžak – dr Sulejman Ugljanin SDAS, SLPS, BDSS, RS Reformists of Sandžak Sulejman Ugljanin Minority politics Centre tocentre-right M 7 Hungarian Coalition – István Pásztor VMSZ/SVM, VMDK/DZVM, VMDP/DSVM István Pásztor Minority politics Centre-right M 8 Reformist Party – dr Aleksandar Višnjić RS Snežana Miljković Reformism Centre 9 The Village is Asked – People's Peasant Party – Marijan Rističević NSS Radiša Pavlović Agrarianism Right-wing 10 Strength of Serbia Movement – Bogoljub Karić PSS Dragomir Karić Conservatism Centre-right 11 Civic Initiative of Gora – GIG GIG Orhan Dragaš Minority politics M 12 United Vlachs of Serbia – Predrag Balašević VNS, VDSB Vlach Democratic Party of Bor, VDSN Vlach Democratic Party of Negotin, VDSK Vlachs of the Democratic Party of Kučevo Predrag Balašević Minority politics Centre M 13 Vojvodina Party – mr Igor Kurjački VP Zoran Trifunac Vojvodina autonomism Left-wing 14 Romas for Roma – Miloš Paunković RZR Romas for Roma Miloš Paunković Minority politics M 15 Montenegrin Party – Nenad Stevović15. Crnogorska partija - Nenad Stevović CP Nenad Stevović Minority politics M 16 Roma Union of Serbia – dr Rajko Đurić URS Rajko Đurić Minority politics M 17 Albanian Coalition of Preševo Valley PVD/PDD Riza Halimi Minority politics Centre-right M 18 Alliance of Bunjevci of Bačka – Mirko Bajić SBB Alliance of Bunjevci of Bačka Mirko Bajić Minority politics M 19 My Serbia Movement – Branislav Lečić MS My Serbia Movement Branislav Lečić Liberalism Centre 20 People's Movement for Serbia – Milan Paroški NPS People's Movement for Serbia Milan Paroški Serbian nationalism Right-wing 21 Patriotic Party of the Diaspora – Zoran Milinković PSD Patriotic Party of the Diaspora Branko Opačić Diaspora politics 22 Roma Party – Srđan Šajn RP Srđan Šajn Minority politics M M — national minority list Campaign The parties' campaign slogans for the 2008 election: Party English slogan Serbian slogan For a European Serbia For a European Serbia Za evropsku Srbiju Liberal Democratic Party Spread further!Serbia without borders Širi dalje! Srbija bez granica DSS-NS Support Serbia! Podrži Srbiju! Serbian Radical Party Go Serbia! Napred Srbijo! SPS-PUPS-JS Stand up Serbia Ustani Srbijo Strength of Serbia Movement Not giving Serbia up Ne dam Srbiju Party lists For a European Serbia coalition thumb|right|150px|1. For a European Serbia - Boris Tadić 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. The List won 102 seats, of which 25 went to G17+. DSS-NS coalition The populist coalition of incumbent Prime Minister Koštunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and their coalition partner New Serbia (NS) ran together in the election. 70% of the seats went to DSS and 30% to NS. Its campaign slogan was Support Serbia!. Koštunica was its candidate for Prime Minister. The Populists won 30 seats, 21 of which went to DSS and 9 to NS. Serbian Radical Party The Serbian Radical Party ran alone in this parliamentary election. The party presented its list of 250 candidates. SPS-PUPS-JS coalition thumb|right|150px|5. Rise up Serbia! 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 was nominated for Prime Minister. Liberal Democrats Liberal Democratic Party, Social Democratic Union and the Christian Democratic Party of Serbia formed pre-electoral coalition. Čedomir Jovanović was 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 Preševo Valley. The Hungarian Coalition of Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians and Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians ran together after the presidential elections success in an attempt to strengthen the Magyar minority's representation. The Civic Initiative of Gora ran for the first time representing the Goranis in the Serbian parliament for the very first time. The Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak gathered a Bosniac List – For a European Sanjak – Sulejman Ugljanin (Бошњачка листа – За европски Санџак – Сулејман Угљанин) coalition. On proposal of SRS the electoral boards has changed the electoral rules for the minority parties, which now 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. Opinion polls Party Medium Gallup, March 2008 Strategic Marketing, March 2008 CeSID, May 2008 Medium Gallup, May 2008 SRS 91 90 86 90 ZES 88 83 81 85 DSS-NS 30 30 35 30 SPS 16 17 19 19 LDP 15 20 19 16 minorities 10 10 10 10 total 250 250 250 250 Election References: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 2012-05-08 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20121025093556/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=11&nav_id=50146 October 25, 2012 thumb|300px|Diaspora voting results Results File:Serbian Parliament 2008.svg For a European SerbiaList included Democratic Party (64 seats), G17 Plus (24), League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (5), the Social Democratic Party of Serbia (4), the Serbian Renewal Movement (4) and the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina (1) 1590200 102 +15 Serbian Radical Party 1219436 78 –3 Democratic Party of Serbia − New SerbiaThe Democratic Party of Serbia won 21 seats and New Serbia 9 480987 30 –13 SPS coalitionThe Socialist Party of Serbia won 12 seats, the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia 5 and United Serbia (3) 313896 20 +2 Liberal Democratic Party coalitionList included Liberal Democratic Party (11 seats), the Christian Democratic Party of Serbia (1) and the Social Democratic Union (1) 216902 13 +2 Hungarian CoalitionThe Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians won all four seats 74874 4 +1 Bosniak List for a European SandžakThe Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak and Bosniak Democratic Party of Sandžak won one seat each 38148 2 0 Strength of Serbia Movement 22250 0 0 Albanian Coalition of Preševo Valley 16801 1 0 People's Peasant Party 12001 0 0 Reformist Party 10563 0 0 Roma Party 9103 0 –1 My Serbia Movement #DF0024 8879 0 New United Vlachs of Serbia 6956 0 New Civic Initiative of Gora 5453 0 New Romas for Roma 5115 0 New #1BE7FF Roma Union of Serbia 4732 0 –1 Vojvodina's Party 4208 0 0 People's Movement for Serbia 3795 0 New #242038 Montenegrin Party 2923 0 New Alliance of Bačka Bunjevci #1F2691 2023 0 New Patriotic Party of the Diaspora 1991 0 New #2F394D 0 88148 6749688 Republican Electoral Commission Government formation 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.B92 - News - Politics - Ilić won't rule out coalition with Radicals https://web.archive.org/web/20080320233146/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=13&nav_id=48414 March 20, 2008 SPS-PUPS-JS confirmed its determined to form a post-electoral coalition with SRS and DSS-NSB92 - 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 (ZES, SPS-PUPS-JS & minorities), 45% a Patriotic government (SRS, DSS-NS & SPS-PUPS-JS) 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 After long and difficult negotiations, the new pro-European government was formed on 7 July 2008 by 128 out of 250 parliamentary votes of ZES, SPS-PUPS-JS and 6 of 7 minorities representatives. Mirko Cvetković became the new Prime Minister, a non-partisan candidate endorsed by the Democratic Party. Involvement of the United States 25% right "We got him to flip over and join the pro-Europeans...he put a knife in Koštunica's back." US Ambassador Cameron Munter on Ivica Dačićhttps://foreignpolicy.com/2012/09/13/americas-other-army/ Nicholas Kralev Foreign Policy America's Other Army September 13, 2012 April 30, 2019 After the embassy of the United States was set on fire during the protest against Kosovo's declaration of independence on February 17, 2008, Ambassador Cameron Munter insisted on undermining Prime Minister Koštunica's party, DSS. His rationale was based on an allegation that Koštunica approved of an attack on the US embassy during demonstrations. Munter helped arrange a meeting for SPS leader Ivica Dačić with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and George Papandreou, who helped persuade Dačić to have his party form a majority pro-European coalition, as opposed to remaining in the bloc with DSS. After the election was over, SPS joined the coalition supported by the US and Dačić was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister. References Serbia Category:Parliamentary elections in Serbia Serbia Category:Foreign electoral intervention Category:2000s elections in Serbia Category:2008 in Serbia