Serbia's Opposition Leader Predicts Snap Elections by Year-End

Dragan Đilas, president of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), forecasts that Serbia will hold extraordinary parliamentary elections by the end of 2024, likely in November or December. He anticipates a challenging electoral period, marked by what he describes as "brutal" campaigning by President Aleksandar Vučić's government, exceeding legal boundaries.

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I would like to be wrong, but realistically there will be many incidents in these elections, Vučić's campaign will be brutal, outside of any law.

Despite these concerns, Đilas views the upcoming elections as a crucial starting point for resolving Serbia's deep societal crisis. He stated on KTV television that while a complete resolution might not occur this year, the elections will initiate the process of untangling the nation's current predicament.

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However, this year we will perhaps not have a complete resolution, but I expect the beginning of the resolution of all this that is happening to us.

According to Đilas, relevant polls indicate Serbia is split almost equally between the ruling coalition and the opposition. He suggests that the "broadest anti-regime half" holds a slight majority. However, he warned that the opposition's potential advantage could be undermined by vote-buying and voter pressure tactics employed by the authorities, especially if groups like Branimir Nestorović's join the opposition bloc, making the elections uncertain.

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Serbia is divided half-half according to all relevant surveys, where this broadest anti-regime half of ours is slightly larger.

While Đilas does not expect President Vučić to concede defeat immediately after the election results, he expresses moderate optimism about overcoming the country's significant social crisis. He believes that "student and opposition lists that are for change" have a chance to secure a majority in the elections.

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if Branimir Nestorović's movement is also in the opposition half, there will be the already proverbial buying of votes and pressure on voters by the authorities, but the elections will be uncertain.