Brussels, 07/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - The outgoing pro-European president, Boris Tadic, and the populist nationalist (SNS) but also pro-European, Tomislav Nikolic, (for a long period the latter was in the anti-European camp) will face each other in the second round of the Serbian presidential elections on 20 May. According to CESID, an independent electoral monitoring body, Tadic could win 26.8% of the vote compared to 25.6% by Nikolic. The incumbent has stated: “I am convinced that I will win the second round. We will swiftly lead Serbia towards European integration.”
In the parliamentary elections, on the other hand, it is the party of Nikolic and his allies that is in the lead with 24.7% of the vote - ahead of Tadic's Democratic Party, which according to CESID, has 23.2% of the vote. The Socialist Party (SPS), a member of the outgoing coalition, is in third place with 16.6% of the vote and is expected to support Tadic's Democratic Party if it wins the second round of the presidential elections. Its leader, the current minister for home affairs, Ivica Dacic, could become the country's prime minister. The anti-European Democratic Party of Serbia has 7% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats 6.6% and the centre-right coalition of the united regions around 5.5%.
Maja Kocijancic, a spokesperson for EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said that the EU “expects a new government to be formed soon, which will work towards reform and further progress towards joining the EU”. The spokesperson has also stated that the EU is eagerly awaiting the second round and congratulated the Serbian people for these “free and peaceful” elections, including the vote in Kosovo. Nonetheless, she says that the EU is awaiting the Serbian electoral commission and the OECD's reports “before taking a clearer position” on these elections.
For the first time since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, economic challenges, including the record 24% unemployment rate, have dominated the debates, whilst the issue of Kosovo's independence has been relegated to second place.
The central electoral commission is expected to provide the final results before Thursday. Around 6.7 million voters were expected to vote and turnout at the polls was around 59%. According to the OSCE, voter turnout in Kosovo would be 32.17%. (CG/transl.fl)