Serbian Parliamentary Elections 2007

Too Many Winners

Serbian Radical Party (Srpska radikalna stranka-SRS) won the most seats in the parliament - 81 out of 250. Democratic Party (Demokratska stranka-DS) is the strongest in so-called Democratic block with 64. - The highest per cent of voters since elections in 2000. - Negotiations about forming new government directed by decision on Kosovo status



By MARKO ANDREJIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA

Serbian political scene has been very stirring recently - two months of pre-election campaign that started on confirming the Constitution Law on the referendum at the end of October 2006, initiated with all the happenings last year: cessation of EU negotiations, Montenegro independence, Serbian new/old state... Importance of Parliamentary elections held on January 21st can be reflected in the highest percent of voters (60,4% of 6,6 million people) since "revolutionary" elections in 2000. Citizens of Serbia realized that the new Parliament and government could lead to some crucial decisions on future of the new independent state.

Official results of the elections, according to the Republic Election Committee, say that Serbian Radical Party - SRS is the strongest political party in Serbia with 28,59 % and 81 places in the parliament, followed by Democratic Party - DS, which has the most places in so-called democratic block, the coalition of Democratic Party of Serbia - DSS (with their president, current Prime Minister, Vojislav Koštunica) and New Serbia - NS with the minister Velimir Ilić, which won 47 seats. Three more lists that entered the parliament by going over 5% census are: G17+, Socialists Party of Serbia - SPS and Liberal-Democratic Party coalition. Minorities will have their delegates too: Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, Coalition List for Sandžak, Roma Union of Serbia, Albanian Coalition from Preševo Valley and Party of Roma.

Immediately after the announcement of the first results, all the parties which entered the parliament started celebrating and declaring themselves the winners. The only problem is that none of them has a majority in the parliament (126 out of 250), thus making the government and coalitions and political deals necessary. Of course, it is hard to compromise when you promise so much before elections, in the country where everybody seems to be the experts on football and politics.

Deadlines

According to the law, new parliament must be established within 30 days after official results of voting are confirmed and the deadline for establishing the new government is the end of May. If politicians do not find the solution and if their calculation cannot count majority or minority government with the support of some other parties, Serbian citizens could have new elections with realistic dangerous predictions of extremist Radical Party achieving even better result.

Many important topics will be on the agenda of new government, and some of them are at the same time the conditions for establishing it: negotiations and final decision on Kosovo status, road towards EU that is waiting for Serbia and cooperation with Hague Tribunal. These are the topics that incite the most disputations among all the Serbians and their political parties.

Road to the Government

The president of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Boris Tadić started the first round of consulting and negotiations with parties about the most important question: to whom should the place of Prime Minister be offered. Serbian Radical Party requested that place for themselves without naming the person or giving any explanations to whether they are able to make the majority in the parliament. The deputy of the president of SRS said, just after the results, that he cannot make the government, and the delegation of SRS present on the negotiations with president Tadic speaks volumes: none of the head people from the Party appeared, only ex-actress who went there to show off with her new dress. Democratic Party offered ex-minister of finance in the government of Zoran Đinđić and present director of Credit Agricole Bank for Eastern Europe Božidar Đelić for the Prime Minister. They want to create government with the parties of democratic block.

DSS-NS sent the minister of police Dragan Jočić instead of Prime Minister Koštunica, which was a reasonable choice for this level of negotiations. They did not say anything - name, possibilities for the new government, conditions...just presented their ideas and platform for solving the problem of Kosovo and Metohija status. It seems they missed the meeting and the person to talk to because the UN representative Marti Ahtisari came to Belgrade only few days later with his proposal for the Southern Province Kosovo. Still ongoing government and the Prime Minister Kostunica refused to meet him with the explanation that they do not have the authority to bring such important decision and that it will be the job of the future government. Someone should have told them they were not in the position to give orders to the international representatives, reminding them of the declarations and constitution law on Kosovo. Obviously - you are not able to do anything by avoiding such important meetings and refusing to take the responsibility for your positions.

Socialists Party of Serbia is ready to support the new government, just like G17+. Liberal-Democratic Party wants to support Bozidar Djelic but only if DSS is not in that coalition.

Too many conditions, too many personal issues that should not be important now; however, there is only one Prime Minister and it is hard to believe that parties will make any compromises easily. The thing that could bring them all together is the question of Kosovo, very pressing these days, with Marti Ahtisari's proposal for final status of the south province. Serbian politicians saw eye to eye on this topic in some recent time... Maybe the traditional and historical meaning of Kosovo will be stronger than per cent and calculations about parliamentary majority.