“Serbia Against Violence” billboard in Belgrade
Photo: SERBIA ELECTS
The electoral list “Serbia Against Violence”, which consists of almost all pro-EU opposition parties, was proclaimed on 9 November. The co-leaders of the electoral list, Marinika Tepić, and Miroslav Aleksić, during the submission of signatures of support, emphasised the importance of a broad unification of opposition before the elections to stop decline of Serbia and called on citizens to vote in large numbers. By the end of the campaign, the predominant slogan of “Serbia Against Violence” became “Changes Have Begun.”
Already in the first addresses to the public, issues that will dominate the campaign were highlighted – fight against corruption and crime, fight against violence, solving economic problems and raising the living standard.
Campaign for the parliamentary elections officially started on 17 November with a convention in Niš, the third largest city in Serbia. In the first weeks, observers commented that the campaign was insufficiently visible, with a noticeable absence of campaign videos or billboards across Serbia. It was noted that the ProGlas, get out the vote initiative headed by public figures critical of the government, was getting more attention.
At the end of November and the beginning of December, intensity of the campaign increased, with the release of billboards and campaign ads, as well as frequent public gatherings.
The final convention of the “Serbia Against Violence” list in Belgrade on 12 December was attended by about 10,000 citizens, according to some estimates.
Normal life in Serbia
A common general message at the conventions of “Serbia Against Violence” was the need to re-establish a normal life in Serbia. Marinika Tepić, co-leader of the list, already said during the submission of the electoral list that “we have an opportunity to enter 2024 in a free and safe Serbia, where citizens will live normally.” In the final video of the campaign, it is emphasized that a vote for “Serbia Against Violence” is a vote for the victory of the normality.
This general goal was mostly interpreted by the members of the coalition as the reduction of emigration from Serbia, fight against violence in society and institutions, as well as the eradication of widespread corruption.
Fight against corruption
Fighting corruption was one of the central issues of the “Serbia Against Violence” campaign. The Law on Prevention of Corruption of High State Officials, which would be adopted in case of victory, was presented throughout Serbia as one of the basic promises.
Representatives repeated that “Serbia Against Violence” is the only guarantee of an uncompromising fight against corruption and that only with the “cut down of corruption will there be money to increase wages and raise the living standard of citizens.”
On 9 December, during the convention in Novi Sad, International Anti-Corruption Day was also marked, with claims of the leaders of the coalition that “those who rule Serbia generate corruption, which destroyed the country”, and that this issue will be a priority of a new government.
In the final week of the campaign, members of the coalition unveiled what they described as evidence of another corruption scandal concerning the overpaid construction of a highway in western Serbia.
Fight against violence
During the election campaign, there was also an emphasis on the fight against violence in Serbia, primarily in general terms, without too many specific solutions proposed. Parties that make up the coalition were technical organizers of the months-long protests across Serbia called “Serbia Against Violence,” which were launched after two mass murders in Serbia in early May.
It was emphasized during the campaign that all demands of the protesters would be fulfilled, in order to overcome the atmosphere of violence and insecurity in Serbia and to build institutions that will make it impossible to repeat similar events. Certain representatives of the coalition specifically promised to cancel the national broadcast licenses of pro-regime TV Pink and TV Happy as generators of hatred and violence in Serbia.
Raising the living standard
Socio-economic issues and raising the living standard was another campaign theme of the coalition. In this, it was not alone – the ruling SNS also campaigned on these issues though, expectedly, from a different angle.
“Serbia Against Violence” focused on inflation as a burning economic problem that affects all citizens of Serbia and continuously reiterated that it has a clear plan to stop the rise in prices in Serbia. The government’s current economic policies, inability to stop inflation, and abuse of state resources were regularly criticized.
Opposition announced an increase in wages in the key state sectors of health and education and, specifically, the return of pensions to all citizens whose pensions were reduced during the period of fiscal consolidation implemented by the SNS government.
Absence of foreign policy and Kosovo
Foreign policy issues – such as relations with Russia, regional relations, or the process of European integration – did not occupy a significant place at all in the “Serbia Against Violence” campaign. Opposition only confirmed its determination for Serbia’s accession to the EU and occasionally criticized the government for stalling Serbia’s European integration process.
When it comes to Kosovo, in contrast to right-wing opposition, list “Serbia Against Violence” sidestepped this issue in its public appearances and rallies. Only one part of the coalition visited Kosovo at the beginning of December. Miroslav Aleksić, co-leader of the list and president of the People’s Movement of Serbia (NPS), said that the normalization and creation of safe conditions for life of all citizens in Kosovo is necessary, but that any agreement, including the current Franco-German (European) proposal, which, he said, implied a violation of the Constitution of Serbia, is unacceptable for the coalition.
Sine other members of the coalition, including the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) and Green-Left Front (ZLF) expressed tentative support for the agreement earlier this year, the coalition was criticized by a part of the public for not having a unified stance on this issue.
