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Serbian elections to be close and uncertain, conditions worsening, analyst says
🇷🇸 Serbia /Elections & Politics

Serbian elections to be close and uncertain, conditions worsening, analyst says

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Serbia's ruling SNS party is conducting a widespread "official campaign" by visiting small towns across the country, according to an analysis.
  • Vujo Ilić of the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory stated that the conditions for upcoming elections are worse than before.
  • Ilić anticipates close and uncertain elections, with potential for conflict over results due to electoral manipulations.

Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is engaging in a broad "official campaign" by visiting small towns across the country, a strategy that precedes the formal start of the election period. An analysis by CINS documented at least 160 such visits by 22 SNS officials between April and August 17.

This solving of citizens' problems by a public official who is not competent for it is a completely normal thing, although it should not be, and as I understand it in the long run, it is a way of corrupting our citizens.

— Vujo IlićIlić described the practice of public officials addressing issues outside their purview.

Vujo Ilić, from the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, observed that the ruling party has shifted from large rallies to visiting smaller communities. He noted that public officials are addressing citizens' issues outside their direct responsibilities, which he views as a form of corrupting citizens. Ilić suggested this occurs because people have lost faith in institutions' ability to solve their problems, feeling forgotten and believing only specific individuals can resolve their life issues.

Regarding the upcoming elections, Ilić anticipates they will be close and uncertain. He pointed to a deteriorating electoral process and the likelihood of electoral manipulations influencing the outcomes. This, he believes, will lead to disputes over the number of mandates won and how.

Our electoral conditions are not better, but worse than they were.

— Vujo IlićIlić assessed the current state of electoral conditions in Serbia.

Ilić stated that insufficient progress has been made to ensure electoral conditions where participants would not question the results. He emphasized the importance of how election participants, domestic observers, and international observers will react to the outcomes. "Our electoral conditions are not better, but worse than they were," Ilić asserted, adding that not enough advancements have been made for a relaxed entry into the electoral process.

The greater the difference between the first and second list, the less incentive there will be to question the results of those elections.

— Vujo IlićIlić commented on the potential impact of vote margins on election result disputes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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