Serbia Against Violence Coalition Divided Over Belgrade Election Participation

Miroslav Aleksić, the leader of the New Democratic Party of Serbia (NPS), has revealed that the majority decision of the 'Serbia Against Violence' coalition to participate in the Belgrade elections on June 2 was not respected. The coalition voted 6-3 in favor of participating in the elections, but Aleksić's statement suggests that this decision was not upheld.

According to Aleksić, the NPS president, the coalition met to decide on the issue of participating in the Belgrade elections. The proposal to withdraw was supported by six parties at the meeting. However, Marinika Tepic, the vice-president of the SSP, said the coalition had not reached a consensus on participating in the elections.

Aleksić explained that the disagreement at the meeting did not necessarily mean the end of the coalition. "For the first time, the majority decision of the 'Serbia Against Violence' coalition to participate in the Belgrade elections on June 2 was not respected," Aleksić stated, referring to the 6-3 vote in favor of participation.

Why this matters: The division within the Serbia Against Violence coalition over participating in the Belgrade elections highlights the challenges faced by opposition parties in presenting a united front. The disagreement could potentially impact the coalition's effectiveness in challenging the ruling party in future elections.

The leader of the opposition Ecological Uprising, Aleksandar 'Cuta' Jovanovic, had previously called on the coalition to make a joint decision on participating in the elections. Jovanovic emphasized that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is trying to disunite the opposition and that only together can they bring about change. However, Milos Jovanovic, the leader of the New Democratic Party of Serbia (New DSS), said it was too late to meet the basic conditions for fair elections on June 2.

The disagreement within the Serbia Against Violence coalition over participating in the Belgrade elections underscores the ongoing challenges faced by opposition parties in Serbia. While Aleksić maintains that the majority decision to participate was not respected, the coalition remains intact for now despite the internal divisions. The outcome of this disagreement and its impact on the opposition's future electoral prospects remain to be seen.

Key Takeaways

• NPS leader Aleksić says majority decision to participate in Belgrade elections not upheld
• Coalition voted 6-3 in favor of participation, but Tepic says no consensus reached
• Aleksić says disagreement doesn't mean end of coalition, but majority decision not respected
• Opposition parties face challenges in presenting united front, Vucic accused of trying to disunite
• Outcome of disagreement and impact on opposition's future prospects remain uncertain