BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Voters in Serbia will go to the polls this weekend for a municipal vote in dozens of cities and towns, including a re-election in the capital Belgrade, where ruling populists were accused of election fraud in December.
President Aleksandar Vucic’s right-wing Serbian Progressive Party is seen as the favorite ahead of Sunday’s elections, aiming to further tighten its already massive grip on power.
The populist strongman is trying to formally have his troubled nation join the European Union but has steadily drifted away from pro-EU democratic values while maintaining close ties with Russia and China.
Vucic’s opponents remain weak. A pro-Western opposition alliance that was behind major anti-government street protests last year has split and turned on each other, reducing the likelihood of disruption.
WHAT IS AT Stake?
About 6.5 million voters will elect local governments in all major cities in Serbia: the capital of Belgrade, the northern regional center Novi Sad and Nis in the south, as well as almost 80 town halls or local councils across the country.
The ruling party has firmly controlled all levels of power in Serbia for more than a decade, so if the opposition manages to get rid of at least some of the local councils, not to mention the big cities, it would be a significant success .
However, analysts warn that disagreements between opposition groups have led to huge disappointment among their supporters and that voter apathy is widespread ahead of Sunday’s election.
WHO ARE THE MAIN PLAYERS?
The ruling right-wing Serbian Progressive Party is dominant. The populists, firmly led by Vucic, have presented themselves as the only political force capable of governing the country and keeping it safe at a time of global unrest.
Vucic and his party have refuted reports of widespread irregularities in the previous elections from both international and local election observers. Populists have tried to paint a picture of a strong national state defying powerful enemies in the West led by Vucic. He has played a strong role in the campaign, even though this is not allowed by law.
Pro-Western opposition groups have accused Vucic of links to crime, rampant corruption and a crackdown on democracy. Opposition groups were divided over whether to participate in the vote or continue with demands for free and fair elections.
Those participating in the vote carry the slogan: “We choose to fight!”
Adding to the confusion is the fact that some opposition parties that do not compete in Belgrade are active in other cities. Analysts say this has left voters baffled.
WHAT WERE THE IRREGULARITIES REPORTED?
International election observers have said the December elections were held under “unjust conditions,” partly because of the president’s involvement and the systemic benefits to the ruling party.
According to the report from an agency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the vote was “marred by harsh rhetoric, media bias, pressure on public sector workers and misuse of public resources.”
Reports also emerged that voters from other parts of the country were bussed to Belgrade to vote for the ruling party and registered at false addresses.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO CHANGE THIS?
Nothing, according to election observers from the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA).
Under pressure from the EU, the government has formed a working group with watchdog organizations and opposition representatives. A voter registration law has been amended, but nothing has really improved, said CRTA program director Rasa Nedeljkov.
“We have evidence that shows that things that we documented in the last election cycle, we are now documenting again,” he said, along with “new forms of pressure and manipulation, especially among those (voters) who work in the public sector.”
“Things are really going in the wrong direction,” Nedeljkov said.
