Serbian President Set for Re-election Despite Accusations of Irregularities
BELGRADE — The Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is expected to win the recent election, solidifying his power despite allegations of major irregularities in the voting process.
Early exit polls suggest that Vučić’s ruling party is set for a sweeping election win, but the victory is marred by accusations of electoral manipulation and voter intimidation. Critics fear that Vučić is rapidly undermining the country’s democracy, media, and public institutions as he tightens his grip on power.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, speaking at the headquarters of Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), declared the party’s victory and predicted that they would be able to form a coalition with a parliamentary majority. However, the opposition’s great hope was to win the mayoral race for Belgrade, with a close race projected.
Accusations of fraud and irregularities have emerged from multiple electoral observers. A leading election monitoring mission reported an attack on one of its vehicles, and observers experienced violent threats or were prevented from accessing polling stations. Independent journalists revealed that the Stark Arena was turned into a hub for voters bussed in from Bosnia and Herzegovina, raising concerns about an inflated electoral roll with “phantom voters.”
In response to the allegations, Prime Minister Brnabić dismissed the accusations as lies and brushed aside concerns over the irregularities. Despite the controversy, Vučić’s prominence in the election fray was unmistakable, as he delivered 45 television addresses during the intense 44-day campaign.
The slow process of releasing official results by the country’s election commission means that exit polls will be used to indicate a preliminary outcome. After the elections were announced in October, several mayors resigned to pave the way for local elections to be held in parallel with the national ones.
The outcome of the election is likely to cement Vučić’s influence in U.S. and EU diplomacy in the Western Balkans, but the accusations of electoral irregularities have cast a shadow over the credibility of the democratic process in Serbia.