Elections in Serbia: Incumbent President Aleksandar Vucic claims a landslide victory
Outgoing President Aleksandar Vucic during his speech in Belgrade on April 3.
He claimed a landslide election victory.
REUTERS - ANTONIO BRONIC
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The outgoing Serbian head of state Aleksandar Vucic claimed a landslide presidential victory this Sunday, April 3, extending a decade of hold on the Balkan country where he portrayed himself as the guarantor of stability in the shadow of the war in Ukraine.
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"
There was no suspense at any time
," launched Aleksandar Vucic in his victory speech, congratulating himself on having won a second five-year term in the first round with around 60% of the vote.
“
I am happy that a large number of people voted and demonstrated the democratic nature of Serbian society
,” he continued.
Aleksandar Vucic was successively Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister before becoming President.
Voters were called upon to appoint their head of state, their 250 deputies as well as several municipal councils, including that of Belgrade, the capital.
Aleksandar Vucic declared that his Serbian Progress Party (SNS, centre-right) had won almost 44% of the votes in the legislative elections.
"
We have with the Hungarian Party more than enough votes to form a majority
," he added.
The dominance of the ruling coalition should, however, be less hegemonic than in the outgoing parliament.
The official results are not expected to be released until Monday evening by the electoral commission.
“Enormous” influence of the war in Ukraine
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia at the end of February had changed the course of the campaign which should have focused on the environment, corruption and rights in this Balkan country candidate for the European Union.
But Aleksandar Vucic, used to playing rival influences from East and West, seized the war to his advantage.
“
The influence of the Ukrainian crisis on the elections has been enormous
,” commented the president.
In a country suffering as elsewhere from the coronavirus pandemic, he presents himself as the only one capable of helming the ship in stormy weather.
He campaigned under the slogan “Peace.
Stability.
Vucic”.
NGOs reported incidents and violence, while opponents denounced attempts by the SNS to intimidate voters in polling stations.
Pavle Grbovic, leader of a centre-left opposition party, claimed he was attacked by SNS activists while trying to film fraud in Belgrade.
Aleksandar Vucic denied any irregularity.
Only a few months ago, the opposition seemed to have made a breakthrough in the country of less than seven million inhabitants.
► To read also: Incidents and fraud punctuate the elections in Serbia
In January, Aleksandar Vucic canceled a controversial lithium mine project that mobilized tens of thousands of protesters, a reversal rarely seen in his decade in charge.
But Aleksandar Vucic went to the ballot armed with other advantages.
During his long reign, he tightened his grip on all levels of power, including de facto control of institutions and almost all of the media.
He enjoys a large electoral base made up of civil servants and their relatives, according to analysts.
In the months leading up to the campaign, the president also handed out financial aid, making his critics say he was looking to "buy" votes.
(
With
AFP)
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Serbia
Aleksandar Vucic