Serbian Progressive Party#Allegations of crime and corruption
{{Short description|Political party in Serbia}}
{{For|the Serbian Progressive Party that existed in the Kingdom of Serbia|Serbian Progressive Party (Kingdom of Serbia)}}
{{Pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Good article}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Serbian Progressive Party
| native_name = Српска напредна странка
| native_name_lang = sr
| abbreviation = SNS
| logo = Serbian Progressive Party logo.svg
| logo_upright = 1
| logo_alt = Logo of the Serbian Progressive Party
| colorcode = {{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}
| president = Miloš Vučević
| leader1_title = Deputy President
| leader1_name = Jorgovanka Tabaković
| leader2_title = Vice-Presidents
| leader2_name = {{ubl|Aleksandar Šapić|Ana Brnabić|Marko Đurić|Nevena Đurić|Irena Vujović|Siniša Mali|Vladimir Orlić}}
| leader3_title = {{nowrap|Parliamentary leader}}
| leader3_name = Milenko Jovanov
| founders = {{ubl|Aleksandar Vučić|Tomislav Nikolić}}
| founded = {{start date|2008|9|8|df=y}}
| registered = {{start date|2008|10|10|df=y}}
| split = Serbian Radical Party
| headquarters = Palmira Toljatija 5/3, Belgrade
| newspaper = SNS Informator
| youth_wing = Youth Union
| womens_wing = Women Union
| membership = 700,000+
| membership_year = 2024
| ideology = {{ubl|Populism|Neoliberalism}}
| position = Big tent
| european = European People's Party (associate)
| international = International Democracy Union
| affiliation1_title = Parliamentary group
| affiliation1 = Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia Must Not Stop
| colours = {{color box|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}|border=silver}} Blue
| seats1_title = National Assembly
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|105|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}}
| seats2_title = Assembly of Vojvodina
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|59|120|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}}
| seats3_title = City Assembly of Belgrade
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|45|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}}
| flag = Flag of the Serbian Progressive Party.svg{{!}}border
| flag_alt = Flag of the Serbian Progressive Party
| website = {{URL|sns.org.rs}}
| country = Serbia
}}
The Serbian Progressive Party ({{langx|sr|Српска напредна странка|Srpska napredna stranka}}, SNS) is a major populist, catch-all political party in Serbia. It has been the ruling party since 2012. Miloš Vučević, the former prime minister of Serbia, has served as its president since 2023.
Founded by Tomislav Nikolić and Aleksandar Vučić in 2008 as a split from the Serbian Radical Party, SNS served in opposition to the Democratic Party until 2012. SNS gained prominence and became the largest opposition party due to their anti-corruption platform and the protests in 2011 at which they demanded early elections. In 2012, Nikolić was elected president of Serbia and succeeded by Vučić as president of SNS. A coalition government led by SNS and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) was also formed. Vučić became prime minister in 2014 while SNS became the largest party in Belgrade and Vojvodina in 2014 and 2016 respectively.
SNS chose Vučić as their presidential candidate for the 2017 election, which he ultimately won. Mass protests were organised following his election, while Ana Brnabić, an independent who later joined SNS, succeeded him as prime minister. SNS was later faced with protests from 2018 to 2020 and gained a supermajority of seats in the National Assembly of Serbia after the 2020 election which was boycotted by most opposition parties. The Serbian Patriotic Alliance merged into SNS in 2021 while environmental protests were also organised in 2021 and 2022. Vučić was re-elected as president in 2022, while SNS has continued to lead the government with SPS. A year later, Vučić was succeeded by Vučević as president of SNS.
Political scientists have described SNS as a populist and catch-all party that has either a weak ideological profile or that is non-ideological. SNS supports Serbia's accession to the European Union but its support is rather pragmatic. An economically neoliberal party, SNS has pushed for austerity, market economy reforms, privatisation, economic liberalisation, and has reformed wages, pensions, the labour law, introduced a lex specialis for Belgrade Waterfront, and reformed the Constitution in the part related to judiciary. Critics have assessed that after it came to power, Serbia has suffered from democratic backsliding into authoritarianism, as well as a decline in media freedom and civil liberties. As of 2024, SNS has at least 700,000 members, making it one of the largest political parties by membership in Europe.
History
= Formation =
The conflict between Tomislav Nikolić and Vojislav Šešelj came to light after Nikolić's statement that the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), a far-right political party,{{Cite book |last=Gorup |first=Radmila |url=https://academic.oup.com/stanford-scholarship-online/book/29656 |title=After Yugoslavia: The Cultural Spaces of a Vanished Land |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-8047-8734-5 |pages=72}} in the National Assembly would support the Stabilisation and Association Process agreement for the accession of Serbia to the European Union; Nikolić's statement was met with the resistance from Šešelj and his supporters.{{Cite web |last=Pavlović |first=Dušan |author-link=Dušan Pavlović (economist) |date=2 July 2009 |title=DS i SNS – borba za srednjeg glasača |trans-title=DS and SNS – the fight for the average voter |url=https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/93849/Pogledi/DS-I-SNS-BORBA-ZA-SREDNjEG-GLASACA |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Politika |language=sr}}{{Cite news |date=7 September 2008 |title=Serb opposition leader resigns |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7602499.stm |access-date=11 April 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Kojić |first=Nikola |date=12 August 2023 |title=Najveće podele u partijama od 1990: Skoro da nema stranke koja se nije pocepala |trans-title=The biggest divisions in parties since 1990: There is almost no party that has not split |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/najvece-podele-u-partijama-od-1990-skoro-da-nema-stranke-koja-se-nije-pocepala/ |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Nikolić, who was the head of the SRS parliamentary group and a deputy president of the party since 1992, resigned from these posts on 7 September 2008. A day later, Nikolić formed the "Forward, Serbia" parliamentary group with 10 other MPs;{{Cite web |date=8 September 2008 |title=Nikolić oformio poslanički klub |trans-title=Nikolić forms a parliamentary group |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2008&mm=09&dd=08&nav_category=11&nav_id=317562 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} five more MPs joined the parliamentary group in the following days.{{Cite web |last=Maksimović |first=Marina |date=9 September 2008 |title=Toma podelio stranku |trans-title=Toma splits the party |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/toma-podelio-stranku/a-3628591 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=8 September 2008 |title=Tomislav Nikolić: Ono što je bila SRS više ne postoji |trans-title=Tomislav Nikolić: What was SRS it no longer exists |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/15546/tomislav-nikolic-ono-sto-je-bila-srs-vise-ne-postoji.html |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} Božidar Delić and Jorgovanka Tabaković, high-ranking members of SRS, were one of the founding members of the parliamentary group.
On 11 September, Nikolić announced that the "Forward, Serbia" parliamentary group would transform itself into a political party.{{Cite web |date=11 September 2008 |title=Nikolić osniva novu stranku |trans-title=Nikolić to form a new party |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/16088/nikolic-osniva-novu-stranku.html |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite news |date=14 September 2008 |title=Nikolić i Vučić osnivaju stranku? |language=sr |trans-title=Nikolić and Vučić are founding a party? |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/1199793.html |access-date=11 April 2022}} It was speculated that Aleksandar Vučić, the general-secretary of SRS, would join the newly formed party; Nikolić later that day confirmed that he would join the party. A day later, SRS dismissed Nikolić and 17 other MPs from the party due to their opposition to Šešelj, while Vučić left SRS on 13 September.{{Cite web |date=12 September 2008 |title=Nikolić nije više u SRS-u |trans-title=Nikolić is no longer in SRS |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2008&mm=09&dd=12&nav_category=11&nav_id=318272 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=13 September 2008 |title=Zbogom SRS |trans-title=Goodbye SRS |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/zbogom-srs/a-3642085 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}} Nikolić stated that the newly formed party would be the party of the "modern right", whilst supporting strengthening relations with the European Union and Russia. On 24 September, Nikolić announced that the party would be called the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).{{cite web |date=14 September 2008 |title=Nikolić party to be called "Serb Progressive" |url=http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=09&dd=24&nav_id=53724 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928191726/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=09&dd=24&nav_id=53724 |archive-date=28 September 2008 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=24 September 2008 |title=Nikolić osniva naprednu stranku |trans-title=Nikolić to form a progressive party |url=https://mondo.rs/Info/Srbija/a112102/Nikolic-osniva-naprednu-stranku-VIDEO.html |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Mondo |language=sr}} SNS was registered as a political party on 10 October, while the founding convention was held on 21 October, at which a 20-man presidency was presented with Nikolić as the president and Vučić as deputy president.{{Cite news |date=10 October 2008 |title=Nikolić: Službeno osnovana Srpska napredna stranka |language=sr |trans-title=Nikolić: The Serbian Progressive Party has been officially founded |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/1328766.html |access-date=11 April 2022}}{{Cite web |date=22 October 2008 |title=Nikolić party holds founding congress |url=https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2008&mm=10&dd=22&nav_id=54407 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=B92 |language=en}} During the period of its formation, SNS gained 21 members in the National Assembly in total and members of local chapters of SRS switched their affiliation to SNS.{{Cite book |first1=Zoran | last1=Stojiljković |title=Političke stranke i zakonodavna aktivnost Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije: studije u okviru projekta: jačanje odgovornosti Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije |first2=Jelena | last2=Lončar |first3=Dušan | last3=Spasojević |date=2012 |publisher=Fakultet političkih nauka, Centar za demokratiju |isbn=978-86-84031-53-4 |location=Beograd |pages=36 |trans-title=Political parties and legislative activity of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia: studies within the project: strengthening the responsibility of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia |oclc=808939935}}{{Cite web |date=26 September 2022 |title=Nikolić: Poslanički klub "Napred Srbijo" ima 20 članova |trans-title=Nikolić: The parliamentary group "Forward Serbia" has 20 members |url=https://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/nikolic-poslanicki-klub-napred-srbijo-ima-20-clanova_83850.html |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=21 September 2008 |title=Nikolićeva stranka: Do 21. oktobra sve spremno |trans-title=Nikolić's party: By 21 October, everything will be ready |url=https://rtv.rs/sr_ci/politika/nikoliceva-stranka-do-21.-oktobra-sve-spremno_82711.html |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Petronijević Terzić |first=Ivana |date=28 July 2023 |title=Ko je ko u vladajućoj koaliciji |trans-title=Who is who in the ruling coalition |url=http://demostat.rs/sr/vesti/ekskluziva/ko-je-ko-u-vladajucoj-koaliciji/1803 |access-date=29 July 2023 |website=Demostat |language=sr}}
= 2008–2011 =
In November 2008, SNS called for snap parliamentary elections to be held by October 2009;{{cite web |date=11 November 2008 |title=Vučić: Parlamentarni izbori do oktobra 2009 godine |trans-title=Vučić: Parliamentary elections until October 2009 |url=http://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/vucic-parlamentarni-izbori-do-oktobra-2009-godine_92498.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}} this proposal was also later supported by Čedomir Jovanović, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).{{cite web |date=17 December 2008 |title=Jovanović i Vučić za izbore 2009. |trans-title=Jovanović and Vučić in favour of elections to be held in 2009 |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/jovanovic-i-vucic-za-izbore-2009/tfgyszy |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Blic |language=sr}} Later that month, Vučić stated that SNS would act in opposition to the Democratic Party (DS).{{cite web |date=25 November 2008 |title=SNS će biti opozicija |trans-title=SNS will be the opposition |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/29510/-sns-ce-biti-opozicija.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} SNS opposed the DS initiative regarding constitutional changes in May 2009, which it described as "frivolous".{{cite web |date=10 May 2009 |title=SNS: Inicijativa za promenu Ustava neozbiljna |trans-title=SNS: The initiative to change the Constitution is not serious |url=http://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/sns-inicijativa-za-promenu-ustava-neozbiljna_126849.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}} A month later, SNS took part in local elections in Zemun, a Belgrade municipality known for being the stronghold of SRS; SNS won 34% of the popular vote, while SRS only won 10%.{{cite web |date=11 June 2009 |title=Konačni rezultati u Zemunu |trans-title=Final results in Zemun |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/67185/-konacni-rezultati-u-zemunu.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} By July 2009, SNS established itself as the strongest opposition party in Serbia.{{Cite book |last1=Džihić |first1=Vedran |url=https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id/ipa/06571.pdf |title=Kosovo After Independence: Is the EU's EULEX Mission Delivering on its Promises? |last2=Kramer |first2=Helmut |publisher=Friedrich Ebert Foundation |year=2009 |isbn=978-3-86872-152-2 |location=Berlin |pages=5}} SNS took part in local elections in Voždovac and Kostolac in December 2009;{{cite web |last=Didanović |first=Vera |date=10 December 2009 |title=Naprednjaci napred, demokrate stoj |trans-title=Progressives going forward, democrats stagnant |url=https://www.vreme.com/cms/view.php?id=901626 |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} in Voždovac, it won 37% of the popular vote and 26 seats in the Local Assembly, while in Kostolac it won 12% of the popular vote.{{cite web |date=7 December 2009 |title=SNS pobedila na Voždovcu - četiri liste prešle cenzus |trans-title=SNS won in Voždovac - four lists crossed the threshold |url=https://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/sns-pobedila-na-vozdovcu-cetiri-liste-presle-cenzus_162270.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=7 December 2009 |title=Voždovac: SNS pobedio, G17+ ispod cenzusa! |trans-title=Voždovac: SNS won, G17+ below the threshold! |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/vo%C5%BEdovac-sns-pobedio-g17-ispod-cenzusa/a-4972671 |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}} Following the elections, SNS formed a local government with the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and New Serbia (NS) in Voždovac.{{cite web |date=15 December 2009 |title=Naprednjaci formiraju vlast na Voždovcu |trans-title=Progressives form the government in Voždovac |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/369931/naprednjaci-formiraju-vlast-na-vozdovcu.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} CeSID, a non-governmental and electoral monitoring organisation, argued that the reason behind their electoral success was due to their anti-corruption promises.{{Cite book |url=https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/rs/UNDP_SRB_Analiza-Borba-protiv-korupcije-2009---2015_CeSID.pdf |title=Borba protiv korupcije: između norme i prakse |publisher=CeSID |year=2016 |pages=8 |language=sr |trans-title=The fight against corruption: between the norm and practice}}
SNS announced in February 2010 that it collected over 500,000 signatures in favour of snap parliamentary elections;{{cite web |date=15 December 2010 |title=SNS: Više od pola miliona potpisa |trans-title=SNS: More than half a million signatures |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/504851/sns-vise-od-pola-miliona-potpisa-.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} a month later, it claimed that the number grew to over a million signatures.{{cite web |date=28 March 2010 |title=SNS: Sve više razloga za izbore |trans-title=SNS: More and more reasons for elections |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/595791/sns-sve-vise-razloga-za-izbore.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} After March 2010, SNS claimed that DS "was pulling the country into a deep crisis", and that in response it would organise anti-government protests in Belgrade.{{cite web |date=14 March 2010 |title=SNS: Vlada stvara novu krizu |trans-title=SNS: The government is creating a new crisis |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/564801/sns-vlada-stvara-novu-krizu.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=25 March 2010 |title=Beogradski SNS najavljuje demonstracije |trans-title=Belgrade branch of SNS announces demonstrations |url=https://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/beogradski-sns-najavljuje-demonstracije_180573.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}} SNS declaratively supported the {{Ill|Srebrenica Declaration|sr|Декларација о Сребреници}} and condemned the victims of the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica, although it abstained from voting in the National Assembly in March 2010.{{Cite news |last1=Cvetković |first1=Ljudmila |last2=Martinović |first2=Iva |date=30 March 2010 |title=Skupština Srbije usvojila Deklaraciju o Srebrenici |language=sr |trans-title=The Serbian Parliament adopts the Declaration on Srebrenica |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srebrenica_srpski_parlament_rezolucija/1997489.html |access-date=1 September 2022}}{{Cite web |date=30 March 2010 |title=Usvojena Deklaracija o Srebrenici |trans-title=The Srebrenica Declaration has been adopted |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/599011/usvojena-deklaracija-o-srebrenici.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} SNS announced in December 2010, that it would organise protests in February 2011;{{cite web |date=24 December 2010 |title=Naprednjaci najavili miting za 4. februar u Beogradu |trans-title=Progressives announce a rally for 4 February in Belgrade |url=https://www.danas.rs/politika/naprednjaci-najavili-miting-za-4-februar-u-beogradu/ |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} New Serbia also said that it would join the protests.{{cite web |date=24 December 2010 |title=SNS najavila miting za 4. februar |trans-title=SNS announces a rally for 4 February |url=https://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/sns-najavila-miting-za-4.-februar_230422.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}} SNS handed over 304,580 signatures in favour of changing the constitution in January 2011.{{cite web |date=13 January 2011 |title=SNS predao potpise za izmenu Ustava |trans-title=SNS submitted signatures for amending the Constitution |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=01&dd=13&nav_category=11&nav_id=485547 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} A series of anti-government protests that were organised by SNS began in February 2011.{{cite web |last=Vasović |first=Aleksandar |date=5 February 2011 |title=Serbia holds biggest opposition protest in years |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-serbia-rally-idUKTRE71418Q20110205 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Reuters}}{{cite web |date=2 February 2011 |title=Serbian opposition rally calls for early elections |url=https://www.dw.com/en/serbian-opposition-rally-calls-for-early-elections/a-14820181 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |publisher=}} SNS demanded the government to call snap elections by December 2011.{{cite web |date=1 February 2011 |title=SNS i NS: Protesti do ispunjenja |trans-title=SNS and NS: Protests until fulfillment of demands |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=02&dd=01&nav_category=11&nav_id=489702 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=5 February 2011 |title=SNS: Izbori ili protesti |trans-title=SNS: Elections or protests |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=02&dd=05&nav_category=11&nav_id=490774 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=10 April 2011 |title=Novi rok SNS-a |trans-title=New deadline of SNS |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/873662/novi-rok-sns-a.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} Initially the protests were held in Belgrade, although they spread throughout other locations in Serbia in March and April 2011.{{cite web |date=19 April 2011 |title=Protest ispred Predsedništva Srbije |trans-title=Protests in front of the Presidency of Serbia |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=19&nav_category=11&nav_id=506996 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=7 April 2011 |title=SNS: Tadićev režim u histeriji |trans-title=SNS: Tadić's regime in hysteria |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=07&nav_category=11&nav_id=504722 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=28 October 2011 |title=Miting SNS u Nišu |trans-title=SNS meeting in Niš |url=https://www.juznevesti.com/Politika/Miting-SNS-u-Nisu.sr.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Južne vesti |language=sr}} Nikolić went on a hunger strike in mid-April, after demanding president Boris Tadić to call snap parliamentary elections.{{Cite web |last= |date=17 April 2011 |title=Nikolić stabilan, izbori cilj |trans-title=Nikolić is stable, elections are the goal |url=https://www.nezavisne.com/novosti/ex-yu/Nikolic-stabilan-izbori-cilj/86525 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Nezavisne novine |language=sr}}
= 2012–2013 =
File:Izbori 2012 - štand SNS (1).JPG
Back in November 2010, SNS signed a cooperation agreement with New Serbia and two other parties, the Movement of Socialists (PS) and Strength of Serbia Movement (PSS).{{Cite web |date=16 November 2010 |title=Opozicija se okuplja oko Srpske napredne stranke |trans-title=Opposition is gathering around the Serbian Progressive Party |url=https://boom93.rs/arhiva/info-arhiva/srbija/opozicija-se-okuplja-oko-srpske-napredne-stranke/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Boom93 |language=sr |archive-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202002617/https://boom93.rs/arhiva/info-arhiva/srbija/opozicija-se-okuplja-oko-srpske-napredne-stranke/ |url-status=dead }} The parties later held a meeting in February 2011 and took part together in protests that were organised by SNS.{{Cite web |date=5 February 2011 |title=Miting opozicije u Beogradu |trans-title=Opposition rally in Belgrade |url=http://lat.rtrs.tv/vijesti/vijest.php?id=35150 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Republika Srpska |language=sr}}{{cite web |last=Mrdić |first=Uglješa |date=15 April 2011 |title=Tomislav Nikolić: Posle izbora moguća je samo proevropska vlada |trans-title=Tomislav Nikolić: After the elections, only a pro-European government is possible |url=http://www.pecat.co.rs/2011/04/tomislav-nikolic-posle-izbora-moguca-je-samo-proevropska-vlada/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Pečat |language=sr}} The protests played a role in boosting the popularity of SNS, while opinion polls had shown that SNS received more support from voters than DS.{{Cite web |last=Kojić |first=Nikola |date=5 June 2020 |title=Izbori 2012: Poraz Tadića i DS, Dačićev preokret i dolazak SNS na vlast |trans-title=2012 elections: Defeat of Tadić and DS, Dačić's turnaround and SNS coming to power |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a606907-izbori-2012-poraz-tadica-i-ds-dacicev-preokret-i-dolazak-sns-na-vlast/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{cite web |last=Milovanović |first=Bojana |date=8 August 2011 |title=Parties jockey for support well ahead of Serbia's elections |url=http://setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/08/09/feature-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017132048/http://setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/08/09/feature-04 |archive-date=17 October 2011 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Southeast European Times |publisher= |language=}} Due to the anti-government protests, President Tadić called for general elections to be held in spring of 2012.{{Cite web |date=29 June 2011 |title=Report: Elections to be held in spring 2012 |url=https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2011&mm=06&dd=29&nav_id=75165 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=en}}{{cite web |date=13 March 2012 |title=Raspisani parlamentarni izbori |trans-title=Parliamentary election announced |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/1950/izbori-2012/1061888/raspisani-parlamentarni-izbori.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} In January 2012, it was confirmed that SNS would take part in a joint parliamentary list together with NS, PS, PSS, and eight minor parties and associations.{{cite web |date=22 January 2012 |title=NS: Nikolić nosilac liste SNS-NS-PSS-PS |trans-title=NS: Nikolić, the representative of the SNS-NS-PSS-PS list |url=https://mondo.rs/Info/Srbija/a232427/NS-Nikolic-nosilac-liste-SNS-NS-PSS-PS.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Mondo |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=22 March 2012 |title=Ko su kandidati za poslanike |trans-title=Who are the candidates for deputies? |url=https://www.vreme.com/projekat/ko-su-kandidati-za-poslanike/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} The coalition was later named "Let's Get Serbia Moving".{{cite web |date=20 March 2012 |title=Proglašena izborna lista SNS |trans-title=SNS election list announced |url=https://www.b92.net/info/izbori2012/vesti.php?yyyy=2012&mm=03&dd=20&nav_id=592823 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} Nikolić was chosen as the presidential candidate of SNS, while Tabaković was chosen as the candidate for prime minister.{{cite web |date=5 April 2012 |title=Tomislav Nikolić kandidat SNS za predsednika |trans-title=Tomislav Nikolić is the presidential candidate of SNS |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/tomislav-nikolic-kandidat-sns-za-predsednika/70779sx |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Blic |language=sr}}{{cite web |date=26 April 2012 |title=Jorgovanka Tabaković kandidatkinja SNS za premijerku Srbije |trans-title=Jorgovanka Tabaković is the SNS candidate for prime minister of Serbia |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/jorgovanka-tabakovic-kandidatkinja-sns-za-premijerku-srbije/20lz3jj |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Blic |language=sr}}
During the campaign period, SNS criticised DS whilst campaigning on a pro-European platform, as well as promising to "correct the mistakes of DS". Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, met with Nikolić and Vučić during the campaign period in Belgrade to consult for them.{{Cite web |last=Stilin |first=Bojan |date=20 April 2012 |title=Rudy Giuliani došao u Srbiju podržati Tomu Nikolića |trans-title=Rudy Giuliani came to Serbia to support Toma Nikolić |url=https://www.tportal.hr/vijesti/clanak/rudy-giuliani-dosao-u-srbiju-podrzati-tomu-nikolica-20120420 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=tportal |language=hr}}{{Cite news |last=Kirchick |first=James |date=24 May 2012 |title=Rudy Giuliani Hits a New Low: Consulting for Serbian Nationalists |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/rudy-giulianis-new-low |access-date=2 September 2022 |newspaper=Tablet Magazine}} In the parliamentary election, the SNS-led coalition topped at the first place with 25% of the popular vote and won 73 seats in the National Assembly; SNS itself won 55 seats.{{Cite news |date=6 May 2012 |title=SNS najjači u Skupštini, Nikolić i Tadić u drugom krugu, Đilas vodi u Beogradu |language=sr |trans-title=SNS the strongest in the Assembly, Nikolić and Tadić in the second round, Đilas leads in Belgrade |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija_izbori_rezultati_preliminarni/24572065.html |access-date=2 September 2022}}{{cite web |date=7 May 2012 |title=RIK: Rezultati parlamentarnih izbora na osnovu 97,51 odsto biračkih mesta |trans-title=RIK: Results of the parliamentary election based on 97.51 percent of polling stations |url=http://eizbori.com/rik-rezultati-parlamentarnih-izbora-na-osnovu-9751-odsto-birackih-mesta/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510030251/http://eizbori.com/rik-rezultati-parlamentarnih-izbora-na-osnovu-9751-odsto-birackih-mesta/ |archive-date=10 May 2012 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=eizbori |language=sr}} Nikolić accused DS of vote fraud; during a press conference he showed a bag with about three thousand ballots that were allegedly thrown into a trash can. In the presidential election, Nikolić ended up in the second run-off against President Tadić; Nikolić ended up winning.{{Cite web |date=2 September 2022 |title=Konačni rezultati predsedničkih izbora |trans-title=Final results of the presidential election |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/1950/izbori-2012/1108308/konacni-rezultati-predsednickih-izbora-.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} SNS did not receive the highest number of votes in the provincial and Belgrade City Assembly elections, and was unable to form governments in Vojvodina and Belgrade.{{Cite web |date=2 September 2022 |title=Konačni rezultati pokrajinskih izbora |trans-title=Final results of the provincial elections |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/1950/izbori-2012/1118402/konacni-rezultati-pokrajinskih-izbora.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=2 September 2022 |title=Konačni rezultati za Beograd |trans-title=Final results for Belgrade |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/1950/izbori-2012/1106486/konacni-rezultati-za-beograd.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} On 24 May 2012, Nikolić resigned as the president of SNS and was succeeded by Vučić, who was then later elected in September 2012;{{cite web |date=24 May 2012 |title=Nikolić podneo ostavku i zaplakao |trans-title=Nikolić resigned and cried |url=https://www.b92.net/info/izbori2012/vesti.php?yyyy=2012&mm=05&dd=24&nav_id=612429 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=29 September 2012 |title=Progressives elect new leader, deputy leader |url=http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2012&mm=09&dd=29&nav_id=82410 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204034947/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2012&mm=09&dd=29&nav_id=82410 |archive-date=4 February 2014 |access-date=29 September 2012 |website=B92}} Tabaković was also elected deputy president.
Nikolić held consultations with parliamentary parties after the election.{{Cite web |date=11 June 2012 |title=Nikolić počeo konsultacije o vladi sa SPS-PUPS-JS |trans-title=Nikolić starts government consultations with SPS-PUPS-JS |url=https://www.nezavisne.com/novosti/ex-yu/Nikolic-poceo-konsultacije-o-vladi-sa-SPS-PUPS-JS/144726 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Nezavisne novine |language=sr}} After the consultations, Ivica Dačić, the leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), was given the mandate to form a government.{{cite web |date=26 June 2012 |title=Sve izvesnija koalicija SNS-SPS |trans-title=A SNS-SPS coalition is increasingly more certain |url=https://www.b92.net/info/izbori2012/vesti.php?yyyy=2012&mm=06&dd=26&nav_id=621496 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} Dačić reached a deal with SNS and the United Regions of Serbia (URS) and on 27 July the new government was sworn in.{{cite web |date=27 July 2012 |title=Nova vlada položila zakletvu |trans-title=The new government has been sworn in |url=https://www.b92.net/info/izbori2012/vesti.php?yyyy=2012&mm=07&dd=27&nav_id=629999 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=B92 |publisher= |language=sr}}{{Cite book |last1=Petrović |first1=Vesna |url=http://www.bgcentar.org.rs/bgcentar/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Ljudska_prava_u_Srbiji_2012.pdf |title=Ljudska prava u Srbiji: pravo, praksa i međunarodni standardi ljudskih prava |last2=Joksimović |first2=Vladan |publisher=Beogradski centar za ljudska prava |year=2013 |isbn=978-86-7202-141-7 |location=Belgrade |pages=244 |language=sr |trans-title=Human rights in Serbia: law, practice, and international human rights standards}}{{cite web |date=27 July 2012 |title=Srbija ima novu vladu |trans-title=Serbia has a new government |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/srbija-ima-novu-vladu/a-16127260 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |publisher= |language=sr}} Vučić became the first deputy prime minister.{{cite web |date=27 July 2012 |title=Sastav Dačićevog kabineta |trans-title=Composition of Dačić's cabinet |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/1146790/sastav-dacicevog-kabineta.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |publisher= |language=sr}} After becoming the first deputy prime minister, Vučić entered into a conflict with oligarch businessman Miroslav Mišković; he claimed that Mišković allegedly "gained illegal profit" in the 2000s.{{Cite web |last=Gligorijević |first=Jovana |date=31 October 2012 |title=Udario junak na junaka |trans-title=A hero hit on a hero |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/udario-junak-na-junaka/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} Mišković was arrested in December 2012 on suspicion of corruption,{{Cite web |last=Barlovac |first=Bojana |date=12 December 2012 |title=Serbian Police Arrest Miroslav Miskovic |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2012/12/12/serbia-police-arrests-tycoon-miskovic/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Vasović |first=Aleksandar |date=12 December 2012 |title=Police arrest Serbia's richest man in anti-graft probe |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-serbia-tycoon-idUKBRE8BB0NP20121212 |access-date=2 September 2022}} although in July 2013 he was released from custody.{{Cite web |date=22 July 2013 |title=Serbia Tycoon Miskovic Pays 12 Million Euro Bail |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2013/07/22/serbia-tycoon-miskovic-12-million-euro-bail/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} In October 2012, it was reported that SNS had over 330,000 members.{{cite web |last=Cvejić |first=Bojan |date=21 January 2013 |title=SNS najmasovnija, DS napustilo 3.000 članova |trans-title=SNS is the largest, DS has lost 3,000 members |url=https://www.danas.rs/politika/sns-najmasovnija-ds-napustilo-3-000-clanova/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} The People's Party (NP), led by former mayor of Novi Sad Maja Gojković, merged into SNS in December 2012.{{cite web |date=3 December 2012 |title=Maja Gojković: Narodna partija kolektivno prešla u SNS |trans-title=Maja Gojković: The People's Party collectively joined SNS |url=http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Politika/356156/Maja-Gojkovic-Narodna-partija-kolektivno-presla-u-SNS |access-date=6 August 2013 |website=Blic |publisher= |language=sr}} By February 2013, SNS received over 40% of support in opinion polls, while DS, now in opposition, had 13% of support.{{Cite web |date=27 February 2013 |title=SNS na istorijskom maksimumu - 41% |trans-title=SNS at historical maximum - 41% |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2013&mm=02&dd=27&nav_category=11&nav_id=690602 |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}
In July 2013, SNS and SPS concluded that they would continue leading the government without URS;{{Cite web |date=31 July 2013 |title=Rekonstrukcija vlade Vučiću se obila o glavu? |trans-title=Did the reconstruction of the government backfire on Vučić? |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/rekonstrukcija-vlade-vu%C4%8Di%C4%87u-se-obila-o-glavu/a-16989371 |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}}{{Cite news |last=Vasović |first=Aleksandar |date=14 August 2013 |title=McKinsey consultant Krstic to be Serbian finance minister |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-serbia-finance-idUSBRE97D17Y20130814 |access-date=3 September 2022}} the SNS–SPS government was then reshuffled in early September 2013.{{Cite web |date=29 August 2013 |title=Jedanaest novih ministara |trans-title=Eleven new ministers |url=https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/268465/Jedanaest-novih-ministara |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=Politika |language=sr}} Veroljub Arsić, who served as the head of the SNS parliamentary group, was replaced by Zoran Babić in August 2013.{{Cite web |date=27 August 2013 |title=Zoran Babić šef poslaničke grupe SNS |trans-title=Zoran Babić is now the head of the SNS parliamentary group |url=https://www.kurir.rs/vesti/politika/954561/rotacija-zoran-babic-sef-poslanicke-grupe-sns |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Kurir |language=sr}} A month later, Dragan Đilas, the mayor of Belgrade, was dismissed after a vote of no confidence that was called by SNS and DSS; SPS and the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS) also voted in support of the vote.{{Cite web |date=24 September 2013 |title=Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas dismissed |url=https://www.europeanforum.net/headlines/belgrade_mayor_dragan_ilas_dismissed |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=European Forum |language=en |archive-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903131225/https://www.europeanforum.net/headlines/belgrade_mayor_dragan_ilas_dismissed |url-status=dead }} Guy de Launey, a BBC News correspondent, Dragoljub Žarković, the co-founder of the Vreme newspaper, and journalist Koča Pavlović, stated that Vučić held the most influence and power in the government due to his status as the president of the largest party in the coalition government.{{cite web |last=De Launey |first=Guy |date=24 January 2014 |title=Serbia transforming from pariah to EU partner |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-25808463 |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=BBC News |publisher= |language=}}{{Cite web |last=Žarković |first=Dragoljub |date=13 November 2013 |title=Tužni tok ministarkine karijere – Ko je sklonio Zoranu Mihajlović da se Aleksej Miler ne bi iznervirao? |trans-title=The sad course of the minister's career - Who protected Zorana Mihajlović so that Aleksej Miler would not get annoyed? |url=https://www.vreme.com/kolumna/tuzni-tok-ministarkine-karijere-ko-je-sklonio-zoranu-mihajlovic-da-se-aleksej-miler-ne-bi-iznervirao/ |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Pavlović |first=Koča |date=23 March 2014 |title=Living the Serbian dream: a look at Aleksandar Vučić's election victory |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/living-serbian-dream-look-at-aleksandar-vucics-election-victory/ |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=openDemocracy |language=en}} Freedom House, a non-profit research organisation, noted that the efforts to curb corruption during 2013 received mixed results.{{Cite web |last=Savić |first=Miša |date=2014 |title=Serbia |url=https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/23.%20NIT14_Serbia_final.pdf |access-date=20 September 2022 |website=Freedom House}}{{rp|page=546|pages=}}
= 2014–2016 =
File:Vučić and Nikolić consulting, April 2014.jpg
SNS held an assembly on 26 January 2014 at which Vučić was re-elected unopposed as the party's president.{{Cite web |last=Gligorijević |first=Jovana |date=29 January 2014 |title=Tamo gde je sve po mom |trans-title=Where everything is my way |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/tamo-gde-je-sve-po-mom/ |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} At the assembly, he proposed to "test the will of the people" and called for a snap parliamentary election.{{Cite web |date=26 January 2014 |title=Neću da budem premijer bez izbora |trans-title=I will not be the prime minister without an election |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2014&mm=01&dd=26&nav_category=11&nav_id=804514 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} President Nikolić dissolved the National Assembly on 29 January and set the parliamentary election to be held on 16 March 2014.{{Cite web |date=29 January 2014 |title=Nek su nam srećni novi izbori |trans-title=Good luck with the new elections |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2014&mm=01&dd=29&nav_category=11&nav_id=805708 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=B92.net |language=sr}} In February, SNS presented its ballot list under the name "Future We Believe In".{{Cite web |date=4 February 2014 |title=SNS predstavila izbornu listu |trans-title=SNS presented its electoral list |url=https://www.nezavisne.com/novosti/ex-yu/SNS-predstavila-izbornu-listu/229503 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Nezavisne novine |language=sr}} Additionally, it was announced that the Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDPS), Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO), and Christian Democratic Party of Serbia (DHSS) would appear on its list, alongside NS, PS, and PSS, who appeared on the SNS list in 2012.{{Cite web |last=Vasiljević |first=P. |date=3 February 2014 |title=Vučić: Bićemo uvek uz narod |trans-title=Vučić: We will always be with the people |url=https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/politika/aktuelno.289.html:476544-Vucic-Bicemo-uvek-uz-narod |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Novosti |language=sr}} SNS campaigned on its anti-corruption platform,{{Cite web |date=1 March 2014 |title=Programi ili parole |trans-title=Programmes or slogans |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/programi-ili-parole/a-17466634 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}} although Aleksandar Pavković, a Macquarie University professor, noted that there was no evidence that the platform decreased corruption.{{Cite web |last=Pavković |first=Aleksandar |date=2 April 2014 |title=Serbian election: after a landslide victory, is EU accession next? |url=http://theconversation.com/serbian-election-after-a-landslide-victory-is-eu-accession-next-24656 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=The Conversation |language=en}} SNS also based its platform on criticising its opponents, especially DS.{{Cite web |last=Savić |first=Miša |date=2015 |title=Serbia |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/serbia/nations-transit/2015 |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Freedom House |language=en}} In the parliamentary election, the SNS-led coalition won a majority of 158 seats in the National Assembly.{{Cite web |last=Kojić |first=Nikola |date=11 June 2020 |title=Izbori 2014: Najniža izlaznost u istoriji, ubedljiva pobeda SNS, Vučić premijer |trans-title=2014 elections: Lowest turnout in history, convincing victory of SNS, Vučić becomes prime minister |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a608844-Izbori-2014-Najniza-izlaznost-u-istoriji-ubedljiva-pobeda-SNS-Vucic-premijer/ |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Simultaneously, the City Assembly elections were held in Belgrade, in which the SNS-led coalition won 63 out of 110 seats.{{Cite web |date=17 March 2014 |title=Konačni rezultati izbora za Beograd |trans-title=Final election results for Belgrade |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/2208/izbori-2014/1550749/konacni-rezultati-izbora-za-beograd.html |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} Siniša Mali, an independent nominated by SNS, was elected mayor of Belgrade on 24 April 2014.{{Cite web |date=24 April 2014 |title=Siniša Mali gradonačelnik Beograda |trans-title=Siniša Mali becomes mayor of Belgrade |url=https://www.nezavisne.com/novosti/ex-yu/Sinisa-Mali-gradonacelnik-Beograda/242014 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Nezavisne novine |language=sr}} Vučić was elected and sworn in as prime minister three days later.{{Cite web |date=27 April 2014 |title=Serbia swears in new prime minister |url=https://www.dw.com/en/serbia-swears-in-new-prime-minister/a-17594861 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=en-GB}} His first cabinet was mostly composed of SNS and SPS individuals.{{Cite web |date=28 April 2014 |title=Srbija ima novu vladu |trans-title=Serbia has a new government |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/srbija-ima-novu-vladu/a-17594855 |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}}{{Cite book |url=https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/0/e/259021.pdf |title=Prevremeni parlamentarni izbori 24. april 2016. |publisher=Kancelarija za demokratske institucije i ljudska prava |year=2016 |location=Warsaw |language=sr |trans-title=Early parliamentary elections on 24 April 2016}}{{rp|page=4|pages=}} A United States Agency for International Development (USAID) report noted that the SNS now had "complete political dominance" due to the status of Vučić as prime minister.{{Cite web |date=2014 |title=The 2014 CSO Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia |url=https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1863/EuropeEurasia_FY2014_CSOSI_Report.pdf |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=United States Agency for International Development |page=195 |archive-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901062905/https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1863/EuropeEurasia_FY2014_CSOSI_Report.pdf |url-status=dead }} BBC News described the victory as an "unprecedented event".{{Cite news |date=24 April 2016 |title=Serbia election: Pro-EU Prime Minister Vucic claims victory |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36122928 |access-date=22 September 2022}}
In October 2014, Radomir Nikolić, the son of President Nikolić, was brought to power in Kragujevac, the fourth largest city in Serbia by population, after successfully removing Veroljub Stevanović from power after a vote of no confidence.{{Cite web |date=28 October 2014 |title=Naprednjaci srušili Stevanovića: Nikolić na čelu Kragujevca |trans-title=Progressive overthrow Stevanović: Nikolić as the head of Kragujevac |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a7585-Naprednjaci-srusili-Stevanovica-Nikolic-na-celu-Kragujevca/ |access-date=20 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Gligorijević |first=Jovana |date=5 November 2014 |title=Prvi sin u svom gradu |trans-title=The first son in his town |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/prvi-sin-u-svom-gradu/ |access-date=20 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} By early 2015, SNS reported that it had around 500,000 members.{{Cite web |last=Femić |first=Ratko |date=31 January 2015 |title=Srbija, država partijskih knjižica |trans-title=Serbia, the country of party booklets |url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/opinions/2015/1/31/srbija-drzava-partijskih-knjizica |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Al Jazeera |language=bs}} Since coming to power, no major protests in Serbia were held until the anti-government protests in April 2015.{{Cite web |last=Ćetković |first=Kristina |date=26 April 2015 |title=Protest zbog potpisivanja ugovora "Beograd na vodi" |trans-title=Protests due to the signing of the Belgrade Waterfront contract |url=https://www.portalanalitika.me/ |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Analitika |language=sr}} The Do not let Belgrade drown (NDB) initiative, which headed the protests, opposed the Belgrade Waterfront, an urban development project headed by the Government of Serbia;{{Cite news |date=30 April 2015 |title=Potpisan ugovor o Beogradu na vodi |language=sr |trans-title=An agreement on the Belgrade Waterfront has been signed |work=Vreme |url=https://www.vreme.com/projekat/potpisan-ugovor-o-beogradu-na-vodi/ |access-date=21 September 2022}} one of its representatives described it as a "big scam".{{Cite news |last=Mihajlović |first=Branka |date=21 September 2015 |title=Ugovor o Beogradu na vodi otkriva veliku prevaru |language=sr |trans-title=The Belgrade Waterfront agreement reveals a big fraud |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/ugovor-o-beogradu-na-vodi-otkriva-veliku-prevaru/27260571.html |access-date=21 September 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Rudić |first=Mirko |date=8 April 2015 |title=Ko nam nudi patku |trans-title=Who is offering us a duck? |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/ko-nam-nudi-patku/ |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} The project previously received criticism, with Milan Nešić, a Radio Free Europe journalist, describing it as a "pre-election trick".{{Cite news |last=Nešić |first=Milan |date=17 February 2014 |title=Beograd na vodi: Predizborni trik ili realnost |language=sr |trans-title=Belgrade Waterfront: Pre-election trick or reality |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/beograd-na-vodi-predizborni-trik-ili-realnost/25266956.html |access-date=21 September 2022}} The protests lasted up to September 2015.{{Cite web |date=27 September 2015 |title=Protesti zbog projekta "Beograd na vodi" |trans-title=Protests due to the Belgrade Waterfront project |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/2051702/protesti-zbog-projekta-beograd-na-vodi.html |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} After the cuts in public sector, protests were also held in December 2015.{{Cite news |last=Nešić |first=Milan |date=24 December 2015 |title=Protest paora ispred Skupštine Srbije: Čija je naša zemlja? |language=sr |trans-title=Farmers protest in front of the Serbian Parliament: Whose country is ours? |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/protest-paora-ispred-skuptine-srbije/27446999.html |access-date=21 September 2022}} Freedom House criticised the SNS-led government by stating that it displayed "a sharp intolerance for any kind of criticism either from opposition parties, independent media, civil society, or even ordinary citizens".{{Cite web |last=Damnjanović |first=Miloš |date=2016 |title=Serbia |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/serbia/nations-transit/2016 |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Freedom House |language=en}}
In January 2016, Vučić announced that parliamentary elections will be held in April 2016.{{Cite web |last=Petrović |first=Ivica |date=18 January 2016 |title=Zašto su raspisani izbori u Srbiji? |trans-title=Why were elections announced in Serbia? |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/za%C5%A1to-su-raspisani-izbori-u-srbiji/a-18986091 |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}} Der Standard, an Austrian daily newspaper, stated that "[Vučić] now has an absolute majority, and he wants to ensure it for the next four years".{{Cite web |last=Bojić |first=Saša |date=19 January 2016 |title=Izbori – može mu se |trans-title=Elections - he can do it |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/izbori-mo%C5%BEe-mu-se/a-18988906 |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}} Vučić stated that the reason behind the snap election was to "ensure a fresh mandate to push European Union accession".{{Cite web |last=Macdowall |first=Andrew |date=19 January 2016 |title=Serb election likely to result in government romp |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-vucic-elections-enlargement-accession/ |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Politico |language=en-US}} SNS began its campaign in late February 2016.{{Cite news |last=Nikitović |first=Vladimir |date=26 February 2016 |title=SNS kampanja od vrata do vrata: Da li glasaš za nas ili ne? |language=sr |trans-title=SNS door-to-door campaign: Will you vote for us or not? |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/sns-kampanja-od-vrata-do-vrata-da-li-glasas-za-nas-ili-ne/27575662.html |access-date=22 September 2022}} In early March, President Nikolić dissolved the National Assembly and scheduled the parliamentary elections for 24 April 2016.{{Cite web |date=4 March 2016 |title=Nikolić raspisao izbore: Želim da pobedi SNS |trans-title=Nikolić calls the elections: I want SNS to win |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2016&mm=03&dd=04&nav_category=11&nav_id=1103685 |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}{{Cite news |last1=Stojanović |first1=Boban |last2=Casal Bértoa |first2=Fernando |date=22 April 2016 |title=There are 4 reasons countries dissolve their parliaments. Here's why Serbia did. |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/04/22/there-are-4-reasons-countries-dissolve-their-parliaments-heres-why-serbia-did/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |issn=0190-8286}} This time, SNS took part under the "Serbia Is Winning" banner, while individuals from the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS) and Serbian People's Party (SNP) were also present on its ballot list, including individuals from parties that took part with SNS in the 2014 election.{{Cite web |date=6 March 2016 |title=Proglašena prva lista - "Aleksandar Vučić - Srbija pobeđuje" |trans-title=First list announced - Aleksandar Vučić - Serbia is Winning |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/2537/izbori-2016/2234902/proglasena-prva-lista---aleksandar-vucic---srbija-pobedjuje.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=10 March 2016 |title=Kandidati za poslanike 2016: Lista Aleksandar Vučić – Srbija pobeđuje |trans-title=Candidates for MPs 2016: Aleksandar Vučić - Serbia is Winning list |url=https://www.vreme.com/projekat/kandidati-za-poslanike-2016-lista-aleksandar-vucic-srbija-pobedjuje/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} It was also reported that Aleksandar Martinović would replace Babić as the head of the SNS parliamentary group.{{Cite web |last=Milenković |first=M. R. |date=3 March 2016 |title=Martinović budući šef poslaničke grupe? |trans-title=Martinović the future head of the parliamentary group? |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/martinovic-buduci-sef-poslanicke-grupe/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} During the campaign, SNS expressed its support for the European Union and military neutrality, while maintaining cooperation with NATO, and ensuring economic reforms and a Western-type economy.{{Cite news |last=Glavonjić |first=Zoran |date=19 April 2016 |title=Gde ko stoji: Ključni stavovi pred izbore |language=sr |trans-title=Who stands where: Key attitudes before the elections |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/gde-ko-stoji-kljucni-stavovi-pred-izbore/27683659.html |access-date=22 September 2022}} The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) noted that billboards and posters that promoted SNS were dominant during the campaign.{{rp|page=10|pages=}} In the parliamentary election, the SNS-led coalition won a majority of 131 seats in the National Assembly.{{rp|page=26|pages=}}{{Cite web |date=28 April 2016 |title=Izborni rezultat 2016 |trans-title=2016 election results |url=https://www.vreme.com/projekat/izborni-rezultat-2016/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} Simultaneously, the provincial election was held in Vojvodina, in which SNS won 63 out of 120 seats in the Assembly of Vojvodina.{{Cite web |date=26 April 2016 |title=Izbori Vojvodina 2016: SNS dobio većinu od 120 mandata |trans-title=2016 Vojvodina elections: SNS won a majority of 120 mandates |url=http://www.021.rs/story/Info/Vojvodina/133779/Izbori-Vojvodina-2016-SNS-dobio-vecinu-od-120-mandata.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=021.rs |language=sr}} Florian Bieber, a Luxembourgian political scientist, noted that "the landslide victory did not come as a surprise".{{Cite news |last=Stavljanin |first=Dragan |date=28 April 2016 |title=Serbian Elections: The Ghost of Milosevic Haunts Serbia's European Path |language= |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/serbian-elections-the-ghost-of-milosevic-haunts-serbias-europen-path/27704322.html |access-date=22 September 2022}} DS, DSS, the Social Democratic Party (SDS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV), Dveri, and Enough is Enough (DJB), all whom were in opposition to SNS, claimed that SNS allegedly stole the elections.{{Cite web |date=28 April 2016 |title=Lideri četiri opozicione stranke podnose krivične prijave protiv Pošta Srbije |trans-title=Leaders of four opposition parties file criminal charges against Post of Serbia |url=https://novaekonomija.rs/vesti-iz-zemlje/lideri-cetiri-opozicione-stranke-podnose-krivicne-prijave-protiv-posta-srbije |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Nova Ekonomija |language=sr}}
Shortly after the election, opposition parties organised a protest in Belgrade.{{Cite news |date=30 April 2016 |title=Srbija: Protest opozicije zbog sumnje u izbornu krađu |language=sr |trans-title=Serbia: Protest by the opposition due to suspected election theft |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-protest-opozicije-zbog-sumnje-u-izbornu-kradju/27708555.html |access-date=22 September 2022}} Another series of anti-government protests began in Belgrade in May 2016 after the demolition of private objects in Savamala, an urban neighbourhood in Belgrade where the Belgrade Waterfront project is supposed to be built.{{Cite web |date=25 May 2016 |title=Čiji je Beograd: drugi protest, dvaput više ljudi na ulicama |trans-title=Whose is Belgrade: second protest, twice as many people on the streets |url=https://www.vice.com/sr/article/ciji-je-grad-beogradjani-ponovo-na-ulicama-protiv-samovolje-vlasti/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Vice |language=sr}} The NDB initiative organised the protests which ended up lasting until October 2016.{{Cite web |last=Zorić |first=Jelena |date=3 June 2016 |title=Ne davimo Beograd: Ko su i ko ih finansira |trans-title=Do not let Belgrade d(r)own: who are they and who finances them |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a165975-Ne-davimo-Beograd-Ko-su-i-ko-ih-finansira/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Veselinović |first=Stefan |date=21 October 2016 |title=Posle 15 godina muzika je opet deo jednog građanskog protesta |trans-title=After 15 years, music is again part of a civil protest |url=https://www.vice.com/sr/article/koncert-ne-davimo-beograd/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Vice |language=sr}} Vučić was re-elected president of SNS in May 2016.{{Cite news |last=Zorić |first=Ognjen |date=28 May 2016 |title=Skupština SNS izabrala novo rukovodstvo |language=sr |trans-title=SNS assembly elects new leadership |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/beograd-izborna-skupstina-sns/27762631.html |access-date=22 September 2022}} Igor Mirović was elected president of the Government of Vojvodina in June 2016.{{Cite news |last=Šinković |first=Norbert |date=20 June 2016 |title=Mirović novi predsednik Pokrajinske vlade |language=sr |trans-title=Mirović is the new president of the Provincial Government |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/mirovic-novi-predsednik-pokrajinske-vlade/27809803.html |access-date=28 September 2022}} Vučić was given the mandate by President Nikolić to form a government, which he did with SPS in August 2016.{{Cite web |last=Nasaković |first=Đorđe |date=8 August 2016 |title=Objavljen sastav nove Vlade |trans-title=The composition of the new government has been announced |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a183266-Objavljen-sastav-nove-Vlade/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite news |date=11 August 2016 |title=New Serbian government gets parliament approval |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/serbia-government-idUSL8N1AS3K5 |access-date=22 September 2022}} Ana Brnabić, an openly lesbian and independent politician, was appointed minister in the Vučić's cabinet.{{Cite web |last=Pantović |first=Milivoje |date=10 August 2016 |title=New Serbian Cabinet is Mix of Old and New |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2016/08/10/new-serbian-cabinet-is-mix-of-old-and-new-08-09-2016/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} In December 2016, Vučić affirmed that he would not run in the 2017 presidential election, although he also stated that the main body of SNS would decide its presidential candidate.{{Cite web |date=27 December 2016 |title=Vučić: Nikolić je imao dobre rezultate |trans-title=Vučić: Nikolić had good results |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a217530-Vucic-Nikolic-je-imao-dobre-rezultate/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
= 2017–2019 =
In January 2017, President Nikolić stated that he would want to run for re-election,{{Cite web |date=6 January 2017 |title=Nikolić: Iznenadila bi me kandidatura Vučića |trans-title=Nikolić: I would be surprised by Vučić's candidacy |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/2585921/nikolic-iznenadila-bi-me-kandidatura-vucica.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} although ministers such as Zorana Mihajlović and Aleksandar Vulin persuaded Vučić to run instead.{{Cite web |date=1 January 2017 |title=Vulin: Građani žele Vučićevu kandidaturu |trans-title=Vulin: Citizens want Vučić's candidacy |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/2581489/-vulin-gradjani-zele-vucicevu-kandidaturu.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=6 January 2017 |title=Mihajlović: Glasam da Vučić bude kandidat SNS-a za predsednika |trans-title=Mihajlović: I vote for Vučić to be the SNS candidate for president |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/2585633/mihajlovic-glasam-da-vucic-bude-kandidat-sns-a-za-predsednika.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} A month later, SNS announced Vučić as its presidential candidate.{{Cite web |last=Živanović |first=Maja |date=15 February 2017 |title=PM Aleksandar Vucic to Run for Serbian Presidency |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2017/02/15/aleksandar-vucic-to-run-for-president-of-serbia-02-14-2017/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} Vučić received support from the coalition partners of SNS, and SPS, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), and United Serbia (JS).{{Cite web |date=4 March 2017 |title=Kandidature za predsedničke izbore |trans-title=Candidates for the presidential election |url=https://www.vreme.com/projekat/beli-preletacevic-razbija/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} During the campaign period, it was reported that major newspapers, such as Alo!, Blic, Večernje novosti, Politika, Dnevnik, Kurir, and Srpski telegraf, printed campaign posters of SNS on its front pages; Voice of America reported it as an "unprecedented move".{{Cite web |last=Nenadović |first=Aleksandra |date=31 March 2017 |title=Major Serbian Newspapers Print Ruling Party Campaign Posters |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/major-serbian-newspapers-feature-same-front-pages-ruling-party-campaign-poster/3789814.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Voice of America |language=en}} Vučić campaigned on raising living standards, selling or shutting down state-owned companies, and austerity cuts.{{Cite web |last=Filipović |first=Gordana |date=28 March 2017 |title=How a Premier May Become a Strongman in Serbia |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-27/how-a-premier-may-become-a-strongman-in-serbia-quicktake-q-a |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Bloomberg}} Robert Creamer, an American political consultant, criticised him and stated that "Vučić would be in a position to select a prime minister of his choice, [and] control the judiciary, and the election apparatus — eliminating all checks and balances in the Serbian government".{{Cite web |last=Crosby |first=Alan |date=31 March 2017 |title=Vucic's Bid To Cement Power In Serbia Raises Concerns Ahead Of Presidential Vote |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-vucic-presidential-election-concerns-power-concentration/28402318.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Free Europe |language=en}} In the presidential election, Vučić won 55% of the popular vote in the first run-off.{{Cite web |date=21 April 2017 |title=Zvanični rezultati predsedničkih izbora 2017. |trans-title=Official results of the 2017 presidential election |url=https://www.vreme.com/projekat/zvanicni-rezultati-predsednickih-izbora-2017/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}}
Shortly after his election, mass protests erupted in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, and other locations in Serbia.{{Cite web |last=da Silva |first=Chantal |author-link=Chantal Da Silva |date=8 April 2017 |title=Media 'turning blind eye' to Serbian anti-corruption rallies |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/serbiaprotestsmediaaleksandarvucicprimeministerpolice-a7673532.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Živanović |first=Maja |date=10 April 2017 |title=Serbia Protests: Thousands Demand Vucic's Resignation |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2017/04/10/new-anti-govt-protests-starting-in-serbia-04-10-2017/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last1=Crosby |first1=Alan |last2=Martinović |first2=Iva |date=17 April 2017 |title=Whistles And Passports: Serbia's Young Protesters Take On 'The System' |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-young-protesters-vucic-whistles-passports-presidential-vote/28434939.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Free Europe |language=en}} The protests lasted until Vučić's inauguration, which occurred on 31 May 2017.{{Cite web |date=31 May 2017 |title=Svetski mediji o inauguraciji Vučića |trans-title=International media about the inauguration of Vučić |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a252852-Svetski-mediji-o-inauguraciji-Vucica/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} In June 2017, Vučić proposed Brnabić as prime minister.{{Cite web |last=Petrović |first=Ivica |date=22 June 2017 |title=Lažna drama u Srbiji oko Brnabićke |trans-title=Fake drama in Serbia about Brnabić |url=https://www.dw.com/hr/la%C5%BEna-drama-u-srbiji-oko-brnabi%C4%87ke/a-39361974 |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=hr}} She was sworn in on 29 June 2017.{{Cite web |date=30 June 2017 |title=Serbian Lawmakers, In Historic First, Elect Openly Gay, Female Prime Minister |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/serbian-lawmakers-historic-first-elect-openly-gay-female-prime-minister-brnabic/28587233.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Radio Free Europe |language=en}} Radio Free Europe noted that even though the presidency is a ceremonial role, Vučić has retained de facto power of SNS,{{Cite web |date=7 September 2017 |title=Serbian President Discusses Borders, Trade With Bosnian Leaders |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-vucic-bosnia-visit/28722299.html |access-date=23 September 2022 |website=Radio Free Europe |language=en}} while the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights claimed that the political system de facto turned into a presidential one, similar to the era of Slobodan Milošević.{{Cite book |last=Petrović |first=Vesna |url=https://plus.cobiss.net/cobiss/sr/sr/bib/258988812 |title=Ljudska prava u Srbiji 2017: Pravo, praksa i međunarodni standardi ljudskih prava |publisher=Beogradski centar za ljudska prava |year=2018 |isbn=978-86-7202-188-2 |location=Belgrade |language=sr |trans-title=Human rights in Serbia in 2017: Law, practice, and international human rights standards}}{{rp|page=25|pages=}} {{Ill|Zoran Panović|sr|Zoran Panović}}, a journalist for Danas, reported that by October 2017 SNS was close to reaching 600,000 members.{{Cite web |last=Panović |first=Zoran |date=16 October 2017 |title=Sto pedeset godina "Kapitala" Karla Marksa |trans-title=One hundred and fifty years of "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx |url=http://demostat.rs/sr/vesti/kolumne/sto-pedeset-godina--kapitala--karla-marksa/250 |access-date=23 September 2022 |website=Demostat |language=sr}}
SNS announced its participation in the 2018 Belgrade City Assembly election under the "Because We Love Belgrade" banner in January 2018.{{Cite web |date=15 January 2018 |title=SNS predala listu za izbore u Beogradu |trans-title=SNS submitted its list for the elections in Belgrade |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a356990-SNS-predala-listu-za-izbore-u-Beogradu/ |access-date=23 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Zoran Radojičić, a paediatric surgeon, was chosen to be the first candidate on its ballot list.{{Cite web |date=14 January 2018 |title=Ko je u prvih 20 na listi SNS za Beograd |trans-title=Who is in the top 20 on the SNS list for Belgrade |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/3002850/ko-je-u-prvih-20-na-listi-sns-za-beograd.html |access-date=23 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} At a conference in Belgrade Youth Center in February 2018, its ballot list candidates and election programme were presented.{{Cite web |date=5 February 2018 |title=SNS predstavio kandidate za odbornike i program za bolji i lepši Beograd |trans-title=SNS presents the candidates for councilors and the programme for a better and more beautiful Belgrade |url=https://beta.rs/en/83277-sns-predstavio-kandidate-za-odbornike-i-program-za-bolji-i-lepsi-beograd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923215553/https://beta.rs/en/83277-sns-predstavio-kandidate-za-odbornike-i-program-za-bolji-i-lepsi-beograd |archive-date=23 September 2022 |access-date=23 September 2022 |website=Novinska agencija Beta |language=sr}} In the City Assembly election, SNS won 64 seats.{{Cite web |date=5 March 2018 |title=Konačni rezultati beogradskih izbora 2018. |trans-title=Final results of the 2018 Belgrade election |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a369485-Konacni-rezultati-beogradskih-izbora-2018/ |access-date=24 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} {{Ill|CRTA (organisation)|lt=CRTA|sr|Црта (организација)}}, a non-governmental organisation, noted that SNS mostly criticised opposition politicians during the campaign period.{{Cite book |url=https://crta.rs/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/CRTA_BG-izbori-finalni-izvestaj.pdf |title=Beogradski izbori 2018: finalni izveštaj CRTA posmatračke misije |publisher=CRTA |year=2018 |location=Belgrade |pages=59 |language=sr |trans-title=2018 Belgrade elections: final report of the CRTA observation mission}} Radojičić replaced Mali and was appointed mayor in June 2018.{{Cite web |date=7 June 2018 |title=Zvanično - Zoran Radojičić novi gradonačelnik Beograda |trans-title=It is official - Zoran Radojičić is the new mayor of Belgrade |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2018&mm=06&dd=07&nav_category=11&nav_id=1401456 |access-date=24 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}
In July 2018, political scientist Boban Stojanović noted that SNS had around 700,000 members.{{Cite web |last=Petrović |first=Ivica |date=13 July 2018 |title=Vlast u Srbiji – neupitni autoritet |trans-title=Government in Serbia - unquestionable authority |url=https://www.dw.com/bs/vlast-u-srbiji-neupitni-autoritet/a-44649677 |access-date=24 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=bs-BA}} A series of anti-government protests, dubbed 1 of 5 million, began in December 2018 after an assault on Borko Stefanović, an opposition politician.{{Cite news |date=8 December 2018 |title=Thousands protest in Serbia over attack on opposition politician |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-serbia-protests-idUSKBN1O70S7 |access-date=25 September 2022}} The demonstrators criticised Vučić and SNS, demanded the end to political violence and stifling media freedom and freedom of expression.{{Cite web |date=30 December 2018 |title=Serbia: thousands rally in fourth week of anti-government protests |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/30/serbia-thousands-rally-in-fourth-week-of-anti-government-protests |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=25 January 2019 |title=Serbia Leader Announces Arrest of Mayor Over Attack on Journalist |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/serbia-leader-announces-arrest-of-mayor-over-attack-on-journalist-/4759385.html |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Voice of America |language=en}} The protests, which were attended by tens of thousands, continued into 2019.{{Cite news |date=19 January 2019 |title=More than 10,000 protest in Belgrade against Serbian president |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-serbia-protests-idUSKCN1PD0Q9 |access-date=25 September 2022}} In January 2019, SNS organised a meeting in support of Vladimir Putin's visit to Belgrade.{{Cite web |last=Miladinović |first=Aleksandar |date=17 January 2019 |title=Pet stvari koje su obeležile "Putindan" u Beogradu |trans-title=Five things that marked "Putin Day" in Belgrade |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-46912785 |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=BBC News |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Marković |first=Tomislav |date=3 February 2019 |title=Srpska napredna stranka, kula od članskih karata |trans-title=Serbian Progressive Party, a tower of membership cards |url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/opinions/2019/2/3/srpska-napredna-stranka-kula-od-clanskih-karata |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Al Jazeera |language=bs}} A month later, SNS launched a campaign named "Future of Serbia", in contrary to the anti-government protests.{{Cite web |date=7 February 2019 |title="Budućnost Srbije" na jugu |trans-title="Future of Serbia" in the south |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/57/srbija-danas/3413523/buducnost-srbije-na-jugu.html |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=8 February 2019 |title=Nadežda Gaće o Vučićevoj kampanji Budućnost Srbije |trans-title=Nadežda Gaće on Vučić's Future of Serbia campaign |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a458683-Nadezda-Gace-o-Vucicevoj-kampanji-Buducnost-Srbije/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Journalist Slobodan Georgiev noted that the campaign effectively silenced the protests.{{Cite web |last=Georgiev |first=Slobodan |date=24 April 2019 |title=Vucic Rally May Have Silenced Serbia's Protest Movement |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2019/04/24/vucic-rally-may-have-silenced-serbias-protest-movement/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} Prime Minister Brnabić joined SNS in October 2019.{{Cite web |date=10 October 2019 |title=PM Brnabic joins Vucic's ruling Serbian Progressive Party |url=https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/a533518-PM-Brnabic-joins-Vucics-ruling-Serbian-Progressive-Party/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
= 2020–2022 =
File:Prime Minister of Serbia - 21 April 2023 - 52834888795 (cropped).jpg
In January 2020, Vučić announced that the electoral threshold would be lowered to 3 percent. Critics saw this as a way that SNS would allow the alleged "controlled opposition" to enter the National Assembly.{{Cite web |last=Petrović |first=Ivica |date=12 January 2020 |title=Cenzus od tri odsto – makijavelistički potez? |trans-title=The three percent threshold - a Machiavellian move? |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/cenzus-od-tri-odsto-makijavelisti%C4%8Dki-potez/a-51971747 |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr |location=Belgrade}} SNS announced in February 2020 that it would take part under the "For Our Children" banner in the 2020 parliamentary election, stating that more than 50 percent of its ballot list would be comprised young people.{{Cite web |last=Pujkilović |first=Milica |date=18 February 2020 |title=Zagrevanje za kampanju – slogan SNS-a i rasprava o bojkotu |trans-title=Warming up for the campaign - SNS slogan and discussion of the boycott |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/3856211/zagrevanje-za-kampanju--slogan-sns-a-i-rasprava-o-bojkotu.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} The SNS-led ballot list was sent over to the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) on 5 March,{{Cite news |date=5 March 2020 |title=Srpska napredna stranka prva predala listu za izbore |language=sr |trans-title=The Serbian Progressive Party was the first to submit a list for the election |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/sns-prvi-predao-listu-za-izbore/30470258.html |access-date=26 September 2022}} although the government postponed the election on 16 March due to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia.{{Cite news |date=16 March 2020 |title=Serbia postpones April 26 elections due to coronavirus outbreak - state election commission |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-serbia-idUSL8N2B99BP |access-date=26 September 2022}} Initially supposed to be held on 26 April, the election was postponed to 21 June 2020.{{Cite web |date=4 May 2020 |title=Serbia to hold general election despite pandemic |url=https://apnews.com/article/3d528aad9d7e8944884143ddf96cef0d |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Associated Press |language=en}} In the same month, the anti-government protests which began in December 2018, formally ended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite news |date=10 March 2020 |title=Srbija: Obustava protesta subotom dok se ne popravi epidemiološka situacija |language=sr |trans-title=Serbia: Suspension of protests on Saturday until the epidemiological situation improves |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/30481150.html |access-date=26 September 2022}} The Alliance for Serbia (SzS), the major opposition alliance, announced that it would boycott the election, claiming that the elections would not be free and fair.{{Cite web |date=4 March 2020 |title=Serbia calls election; opposition to boycott |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/3/4/serbias-opposition-to-boycott-april-election |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=22 June 2020 |title=Učvršćivanje Vučićeve dominacije |language=sr |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/30683574.html |access-date=26 September 2022}} Freedom House labelled Serbia as a hybrid regime in May 2020, citing alleged "increased state capture, abuse of power, and terror tactics" by Vučić.{{Cite news |last=Božić Krainčanić |first=Svetlana |date=6 May 2020 |title=Fridom Haus: Srbija i Crna Gora više nisu u kategoriji demokratija |language=sr |trans-title=Freedom House: Serbia and Montenegro are no longer in the category of democracies |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/fridom-haus-veliki-pad-za-demokratiju-u-srbiji-i-crnoj-gori/30594586.html |access-date=26 September 2022}} In June 2020, newspaper Danas reported that SNS had over 800,000 members.{{Cite web |last=Lazarević |first=Milan |date=18 June 2020 |title=Kako se zaposliti bez članstva u SNS |trans-title=How to get a job without membership in SNS |url=https://www.danas.rs/dijalog/licni-stavovi/kako-se-zaposliti-bez-clanstva-u-sns/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}}
In the parliamentary election, the SNS-led coalition won a supermajority of 188 seats;{{Cite web |date=5 July 2020 |title=RIK objavio konačne rezultate parlamentarnih izbora, izlaznost oko 49 odsto |trans-title=RIK announces the final results of the parliamentary election, turnout is around 49 percent |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/izbori-2020/rik-za-sns-6065-odsto-biraca/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} ignoring minority parties, SNS, the SPS–JS coalition, and the Serbian Patriotic Alliance (SPAS) only crossed the electoral threshold.{{Cite web |date=21 June 2020 |title=SNS-u više od 60 odsto glasova, u parlament ulaze SPS-JS i Šapićeva lista |trans-title=SNS with more than 60 percent of the votes, SPS-JS and Šapić's list enter the parliament |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/3124/izbori-2020/3994172/izbori-2020-rezultati-brojanje-glasova-liste.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} Vučić described it as a "historical moment".{{Cite web |last=Pantović |first=Milivoje |date=19 June 2020 |title=Serbia election: Vucic declares landslide win in controversial vote |url=https://www.euronews.com/2020/06/19/serbia-votes-all-you-need-to-know-about-europe-s-first-national-election-since-covid-19-lo |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Euronews |language=en}} Journalist Milenko Vasović saw the SNS election campaign as a promotion of Vučić and not the party itself.{{Cite web |last=Vasović |first=Milenko |date=19 June 2020 |title=Serbia's Infallible Leader no Longer Needs a Party |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2020/06/19/serbias-infallible-leader-no-longer-needs-a-party/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} Simultaneously, a provincial election was held in Vojvodina in which SNS also won a supermajority of 76 seats.{{Cite web |date=2 July 2020 |title=Konačni rezultati pokrajinskih izbora: Mandate podelilo sedam lista, SNS uzela 76 od 120 mandata |trans-title=Final results of the provincial elections: Mandates have been won by seven lists, SNS took 76 out of 120 mandates |url=https://www.021.rs/story/Izbori-2020/247369/Konacni-rezultati-pokrajinskih-izbora-Mandate-podelilo-sedam-lista-SNS-uzela-76-od-120-mandata.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=021.rs |language=sr}} CeSID concluded that the election was met with "minimum democratic standards",{{Cite web |date=22 June 2020 |title=Procena RIK-a: Izlaznost 50,32 odsto, SNS osvojio 61,59 odsto ili 191 mandat |trans-title=RIK assessment: Turnout 50.32 percent, SNS won 61.59 percent and 191 mandates |url=https://www.glasamerike.net/a/dan-nakon-izbora-u-srbiji/5472188.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Voice of America |language=sr}} while OSCE characterised that the election was met with political polarisation.{{Cite web |date=22 June 2020 |title=Serbian parliamentary elections well run, but ruling party dominance and lack of media diversity limited voters' choice, international observers say |url=https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/serbia/455173 |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe |language=en}} Bieber described it as a pyrrhic victory for SNS and noted that the incoming legislation would not include opposition parties.{{Cite web |date=21 June 2020 |title=Ruling Conservatives Set to Win Serbian Parliamentary Vote |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/europe_ruling-conservatives-set-win-serbian-parliamentary-vote/6191497.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Voice of America |language=en}} Journalist Patrick Kingsley stated that the election could allow "for greater momentum in peace talks with Kosovo".{{Cite news |last=Kingsley |first=Patrick |date=22 June 2020 |title=Serbia's Strongman Wins Big in Election Boycotted by the Opposition |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/world/europe/serbia-election-vucic.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}
After gaining a supermajority in the National Assembly, the government of Serbia submitted a constitutional amendment regarding judiciary.{{Cite web |date= |title=Predlog za promenu Ustava Republike Srbije |trans-title=Proposal to change the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia |url=http://www.parlament.gov.rs/upload/archive/files/cir/pdf/predlozi_zakona/2020/1984-20.pdf |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=National Assembly of Serbia |location=Belgrade}} In early July 2020, a series of protests and riots against the government and the announced tightening of measures due to the spread of COVID-19 began in Belgrade.{{Cite web |last1=Marinković |first1=Lazara |last2=Anđelković |first2=Nataša |last3=Mitrović |first3=Nemanja |date=8 July 2020 |title=Srbija, protesti i policija: Kratak pregled prekomerne upotrebe sile |trans-title=Serbia, protests, and the police: A brief overview of the excessive use of force |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-53338083 |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=BBC News |language=sr}} It was reported that demonstrators took a peaceful approach in the protests, although that a group of far-right demonstrators also stormed the building of the National Assembly; the police shortly after cleared the building, although the clashes continued outside.{{Cite news |date=8 July 2020 |title=Coronavirus: Belgrade protesters storm Serb parliament over curfew |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53332225 |access-date=26 September 2022}}{{Cite news |date=8 July 2020 |title=Thousands protest against Serbian leader despite warnings of virus risk |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-serbia-protests-idUSKBN2491U7 |access-date=26 September 2022}}{{Cite web |date=11 July 2020 |title=Antivladini protesti u Beogradu večeras bez nasilja |trans-title=Anti-government protests in Belgrade tonight without violence |url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/news/balkan/2020/7/11/antivladini-protesti-u-beogradu-veceras-bez-nasilja |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Al Jazeera |language=bs}} The government responded by taking a violent approach towards the demonstrators.{{Cite web |date=8 July 2020 |title=Policija pendrecima tukla muškarce koji su mirno sedeli na klupi u beogradskom parku |trans-title=Police beat men who were sitting peacefully on a bench in Belgrade park with batons |url=https://www.021.rs/story/Info/Srbija/247828/VIDEO-Policija-pendrecima-tukla-muskarce-koji-su-mirno-sedeli-na-klupi-u-beogradskom-parku.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=021.rs |language=sr}} The protests lasted until the first constitutive session of the post-2020 election legislation, which occurred on 3 August 2020.{{Cite web |date=3 August 2020 |title=Serbian parliament meets in constitutive session |url=https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/a626016-Serbian-parliament-meets-in-constitutive-session/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=3 August 2020 |title=Eggs and tomatoes thrown to the Assembly |url=https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2020&mm=08&dd=03&nav_id=109051 |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=en}} After the first constitutive session, the SNS parliamentary group changed its name to "Aleksandar Vučić – For Our Children".{{Cite web |title=Poslanička grupa "Aleksandar Vučić – za našu decu" |trans-title=Parliamentary group Aleksandar Vučić - For Our Children |url=http://www.parlament.gov.rs/narodna-skupstina-/sastav/poslanicke-grupe/poslanicke-grupe.125.901.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=National Assembly of Serbia |language=sr}} Prime Minister Brnabić was re-elected in October 2020, while her new cabinet was mostly composed of members of SNS, SPS, and SPAS.{{Cite web |date=28 October 2020 |title=Srbija dobila novu vladu, Brnabić drugi put premijerka |trans-title=Serbia gets a new government, Brnabić becomes prime minister for the second time |url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/news/balkan/2020/10/28/srbija-dobila-novu-vladu-brnabic-drugi-put-premijerka |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Al Jazeera |language=bs}} The National Assembly adopted the proposal for constitutional changes in December 2020.{{Cite web |date=3 December 2020 |title=Vlada predlaže promenu Ustava u delu koji se odnosi na sudove i javna tužilaštva |trans-title=The government proposes to change the Constitution in the part that refers to courts and public prosecutions |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/promenjen-ustav-u-delu-koji-se-odnosi-na-sudove-i-javna-tuzilastva/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}}
Vučić announced in early May 2021 that he submitted a proposal to merge SPAS into SNS.{{Cite web |date=5 May 2021 |title=Vučić pozvao Šapića na ujedinjenje |trans-title=Vučić invites Šapić to unite |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/4362332/vucic-predsednistvo-stranke-sapic-ujedinjenje.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} Aleksandar Šapić, the leader of SPAS, stated that he supported the proposal.{{Cite web |date=7 May 2021 |title=Šapić: Do kraja meseca SPAS i SNS deo zajedničke organizacije, najviše mogu da pružim na lokalu |trans-title=Šapić: SPAS and SNS to become part of a joint organisation until the end of the month, the most I can provide is at local politics |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/sapic-do-kraja-meseca-spas-i-sns-deo-zajednicke-organizacije-najvise-mogu-da-pruzim-na-lokalu/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} The merge was completed on 26 May, after which Šapić was appointed vice-president of SNS while SPAS MPs joined SNS in June 2021.{{Cite web |date=26 May 2021 |title=Danas: Šapić gasi SPAS zbog ujedinjenja sa SNS |trans-title=Danas: Šapić shuts down SPAS due to unification with SNS |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/danas-sapic-gasi-spas-zbog-ujedinjenja-sa-sns/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=29 May 2021 |title=SPAS zvanično pristupio SNS, Šapić izabran za potpredsednika Glavnog odbora |trans-title=SPAS officially merges into SNS, Šapić elected vice president of the main board |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/spas-pristupio-sns-vucic-porucio-dobrodosli-u-svojub-stranku/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=7 June 2021 |title=Skupština Srbije od danas ima jednu poslaničku grupu manje |trans-title=As of today, the Serbian Parliament has one less parliamentary group |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/skupstina-srbije-od-danas-ima-jednu-poslanicku-grupu-manje/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Dialogues to improve election conditions between government and opposition parties, in which SNS took part, began in May 2021 and lasted until late October 2021.{{Cite web |date=18 May 2021 |title=Završen prvi sastanak Radne grupe za međustranački dijalog bez posrednika iz EU |trans-title=The first meeting of the working group for inter-party dialogue without EU mediators has ended |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/zavrsen-prvi-sastanak-radne-grupe-za-medjustranacki-dijalog-bez-posrednika-iz-eu/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Popović |first=Aleksandra |date=29 October 2021 |title=Sporazum sa vlašću: Dveri i DJB potpisali, ali nisu sasvim zadovoljni |trans-title=Agreement with the authorities: Dveri and DJB signed it, but are not completely satisfied |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/sporazum-sa-vlascu-dveri-i-djb-potpisali-ali-nisu-sasvim-zadovoljni/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} A series of environmental protests began in September 2021 due to the concerns about the Project Jadar, a lithium mining project headed by Rio Tinto, an Anglo-Australian mining company.{{Cite web |last=Slavković |first=Stefan |date=23 September 2021 |title=In Serbia, the Fight for 'Green' Votes Turns Ugly |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2021/09/23/in-serbia-the-fight-for-green-votes-turns-ugly/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} The Government of Serbia supported the Project Jadar,{{Cite web |date=24 July 2017 |title=Projekat Jadar – Kompanija Rio Tinto nastavlja ulaganje u rudnik litijuma kod Loznice |trans-title=Project Jadar - Rio Tinto continues to invest in the lithium mine near Loznica |url=https://insajder.net/arhiva/vesti/projekat-jadar-kompanija-rio-tinto-nastavlja-ulaganje-u-rudnik-litijuma-kod-loznice |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Insajder |language=sr}} whilst SNS officials also criticised the protests.{{Cite web |date=11 September 2021 |title=Mihajlović: Ekološki skup iskorišćen za promociju pojedinih koji žele u politiku |trans-title=Mihajlović: The environmental gathering was used to promote individuals who want to enter politics |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/mihajlovic-ekoloski-skup-iskoriscen-za-promociju-pojedinih-koji-zele-u-politiku/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=12 September 2021 |title=Vučić o ekološkom protestu: Pored antivaksera, u Srbiji se pojavili i antirudari |trans-title=Vučić on environmental protests: In addition to anti-vaxxers, anti-miners also appeared in Serbia |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/vucic-o-ekoloskom-protestu-pored-antivaksera-u-srbiji-se-pojavili-i-antirudari/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} The protests lasted until 15 February 2022.{{Cite web |date=15 February 2022 |title=Police cordon stops environmental activists' march |url=https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/police-cordon-stops-environmental-activists-march/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} The government of Serbia adopted changes for the law on referendum and people's initiative on 10 November 2021.{{Cite web |date=9 November 2021 |title=Vlada usvojila Predlog zakona o referendumu i narodnoj inicijativi |trans-title=The government adopts the Bill on Referendum and People's Initiative |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vlada-usvojila-predlog-zakona-o-referendumu-i-narodnoj-inicijativi/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} The changes received criticism due to the abolishment of the 50 percent turnout that was needed for referendums to pass.{{Cite web |date=10 November 2021 |title=Predlog o ukidanju cenzusa na referendumu: NVO strahuju od zloupotreba |trans-title=Proposal to abolish the threshold in the referendums: NGOs fear abuse |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/predlog-o-ukidanju-cenzusa-na-referendumu-nvo-strahuju-od-zloupotreba/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=26 November 2021 |title=Serbian Lawmakers Pass Law Removing Turnout Threshold In Referendums |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-referendum-law-/31579860.html |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Radio Free Europe |language=en}} At the end of the November 2021, Vučić was re-elected president of SNS.{{Cite web |date=27 November 2021 |title=Vučić predsednik SNS do izbora, izabrani novi potpredsednici |trans-title=Vučić to be the president of SNS until the elections, new vice-presidents elected |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vucic-predsednik-sns-do-izbora-izabrani-novi-potpredsednici/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} In January 2022, a constitutional referendum was held.{{Cite web |last=Stojanović |first=Milica |date=16 January 2022 |title=Serbia Votes 'Yes' to Judiciary Constitution Changes |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/01/16/serbia-votes-yes-to-judiciary-constitution-changes/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} A majority of 60% of voters voted in favour of proposed changes, an option which was supported by SNS.{{Cite web |date=11 January 2022 |title=Vučić: Ovaj referendum je važan za budućnost naše zemlje |trans-title=Vučić: This referendum is important for the future of our country |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2022&mm=01&dd=11&nav_category=11&nav_id=2086331 |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}}
In preparation for the 2022 general election, SNS and SPS announced that they would not run on a joint parliamentary list but that SPS would support the presidential candidate of SNS.{{Cite web |date=29 January 2022 |title=SNS i SPS s posebnim listama na izbore, zajednički kandidat za predsednika |trans-title=SNS and SPS with separate lists for the elections, joint candidate for president |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/sastanak-sps-i-sns/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Additionally, SNS announced Šapić as its mayoral candidate for the Belgrade City Assembly election.{{Cite web |date=26 January 2022 |title=Nova.rs: Aleksandar Šapić prvi na listi SNS za Beograd |trans-title=Nova.rs: Aleksandar Šapić is first on the SNS list for Belgrade |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/nova-rs-aleksandar-sapic-prvi-na-listi-sns-za-beograd/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} The National Assembly was dissolved in February 2022 to call snap parliamentary elections; presidential elections were called next month.{{Cite web |date=15 February 2022 |title=Raspisani parlamentarni i lokalni izbori, Vučić poručio - neka su vam srećni |trans-title=Parliamentary and local elections have been announced, Vučić said - may you be happy |url=https://rs.n1info.com/izbori-2022/parlamentarni-izbori/vucic-raspisao-vanredne-parlamentarne-izbore-za-3-april/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=2 March 2022 |title=Ivica Dačić raspisao predsedničke izbore |trans-title=Ivica Dačić announces the presidential election |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/Izbori2022/story/3364/vesti/4722835/ivica-dacic-izbori-predsednicki-raspisivanje.html |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} In the 2022 election, SNS took part under the "Together We Can Do Everything" banner,{{Cite web |last=Stanković |first=Stefan |date=17 February 2022 |title=Ko je sve na listi naprednjaka za parlamentarne i beogradske izbore |trans-title=Who is on the list of Progressives for the parliamentary and Belgrade elections |url=https://rs.n1info.com/izbori-2022/ko-je-sve-na-listi-naprednjaka-za-parlamentarne-i-beogradske-izbore/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} while Vučić was announced as the presidential candidate of SNS in March 2022.{{Cite web |date=6 March 2022 |title=Vučić kandidat SNS-a za predsednika Srbije |trans-title=Vučić is the SNS candidate for president of Serbia |url=https://www.b92.net/info/izbori2022/vesti.php?yyyy=2022&mm=03&dd=06&nav_id=2116912 |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} Transparency Serbia noted that SNS had a significant domination in the media during the campaign period, while CRTA alleged that the campaign period was met in worse conditions than in 2020.{{Cite web |date=31 March 2022 |title=Transparentnost: Izrazita medijska dominacija vladajuće stranke i kandidata |trans-title=Transparency: Distinct media dominance of the ruling party and candidates |url=https://rs.n1info.com/izbori-2022/transparentnost-izrazita-medijska-dominacija-vladajuce-stranke-i-kandidata/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Komazec |first=Marija |date=31 March 2022 |title=Istraživanje Crte: Izborna kampanja u lošijim uslovima nego ona iz 2020. godine |trans-title=CRTA research: Election campaign in worse conditions than the one in 2020 |url=https://rs.n1info.com/izbori-2022/istrazivanje-crte-izborna-kampanja-u-losijim-uslovima-nego-ona-iz-2020-godine/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} In the presidential election, Vučić was re-elected after winning 60% of the popular vote, while in the parliamentary election, the SNS-led coalition won 120 seats.{{Cite web |date=9 May 2022 |title=RIK usvojio konačne rezultate predsedničkih izbora |trans-title=RIK adopts the final results of the presidential elections |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/izbori22/rik-usvojio-konacne-rezultate-predsednickih-izbora/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=5 July 2022 |title=79. sednica Republičke izborne komisije |trans-title=79th session of the Republic Electoral Commission |url=https://www.rik.parlament.gov.rs/vest/sr/324925/79-sednica-republicke-izborne-komisije.php |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Republic Electoral Commission |language=sr}} In the Belgrade City Assembly election, the SNS-led coalition won 48 seats.{{Cite news |date=9 May 2022 |title=Objavljeni konačni rezultati izbora u Beogradu, SNS-u najviše mandata |language=sr |trans-title=The final results of the elections in Belgrade have been published, SNS has the most mandates |newspaper=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/beograd-izbori-rezultati/31841706.html |access-date=27 September 2022}} Šapić was elected mayor of Belgrade in June 2022.{{Cite web |date=20 June 2022 |title=Šapić izabran za gradonačelnika Beograda, obećava pomoć oko "lažnih doktorata" |trans-title=Šapić, elected mayor of Belgrade, promises help with "fake doctorates" |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/beograd/sapic-izabran-za-gradonacelnika-beograda-obecava-pomoc-oko-laznih-doktorata/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} Milenko Jovanov was appointed head of the SNS parliamentary group in August 2022, replacing Martinović, who was its head since 2016.{{Cite web |date=1 August 2022 |title=SNS nakon konstitutivne sednice: Milenko Jovanov novi šef poslaničke grupe |trans-title=SNS after the constitutive session: Milenko Jovanov is the new head of the parliamentary group |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/sns-nakon-konstitutivne-sednice-milenko-jovanov-sef-poslanicke-grupe-novi-saziv-skupstine-bez-aleksandra-martinovica/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} Later that month, Prime Minister Brnabić was given another mandate to form a government.{{Cite web |last=Kovačević |first=Emina |date=27 August 2022 |title=Ana Brnabić mandatar za sastav nove vlade |trans-title=Ana Brnabić is the mandate holder for the composition of the new government |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/ana-brnabic-mandatar-za-sastav-nove-vlade/ |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} The composition of her third cabinet was announced on 23 October, while the cabinet was sworn in on 26 October.{{Cite web |last=Sovrlić |first=Sanja |date=23 October 2022 |title=Vučić objavio imena ministara u novoj vladi, i već je oročio - na dve zime |trans-title=Vučić announces the names of the ministers in the new government, and he has already made a deadline - for two winters |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/vucic-objavio-imena-ministara-u-novoj-vladi-i-vec-je-orocio-na-dve-zime/ |access-date=24 October 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=26 October 2022 |title=Izglasana nova Vlada Srbije, premijerka i ministri položili zakletvu |trans-title=The new government of Serbia voted in, the prime minister and ministers took the oath |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/poslanici-izglasali-novu-vladu-srbije/ |access-date=26 October 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
= 2023–present =
File:Miloš Vučević (53965807723).jpg
In February 2023, two MPs as well as two members of the City Assembly of Belgrade formerly affiliated with the Serbian Party Oathkeepers (SSZ) defected to SNS, citing their disapproval with their former party's leader.{{Cite web |date=3 February 2023 |title=Glišić izjavio da je pet Zavetnika prešlo u SNS, iz te stranke podsećaju - kad |trans-title=Glišić stated that five Oathkeepers switched to SNS, from that party they remind - when |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/petoro-zavetnika-preslo-u-sns-glisic-kaze-da-im-je-dosta-lazi/ |access-date=3 February 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Later that month, another member of the City Assembly of Belgrade defected to SNS, while in March 2023, an MP that was previously a member of the Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia (POKS) defected to SNS.{{Cite web |last=Milićević |first=Nenad |date=14 February 2023 |title=Glišić: Dvojica poverenika POKS-a i beogradski odbornik iz DSS prešli u SNS |trans-title=Glišić: Two members of POKs and a Belgrade council from DSS moved to SNS |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/glisic-dvojica-poverenika-poks-a-i-beogradski-odbornik-iz-dss-presli-u-sns/ |access-date=14 February 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Gajić |first=Petar |date=29 March 2023 |title=Poslanica s liste Dveri i POKS prešla u SNS, a šta kažu - kad se očekuju izbori? |trans-title=An MP from Dveri and POKS list switch to SNS, and what do they say - when are the elections expected? |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/poslanica-s-liste-dveri-i-poks-presla-u-sns-a-sta-kazu-kad-se-ocekuju-izbori/ |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Better Serbia, led by its only MP Dragan Jovanović, merged into SNS in April.{{Cite web |date=12 April 2023 |title=Članovi Bolje Srbije pristupili SNS-u: "Preletač povratnik" Dragan Jovanović iz Topole |trans-title=Members of Better Serbia join SNS: "Flying returnee" Dragan Jovanović from Topola |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/clanovi-bolje-srbije-pristupili-sns-u-preletac-povratnik-dragan-jovanovic-iz-topole/ |access-date=13 April 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=12 April 2023 |title=Glišić: Stranka Bolja Srbija danas kolektivno pristupila SNS-u |trans-title=Glišić: Better Serbia party merged into SNS collectively today |url=https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/547596/beograd-sns-stranke |access-date=13 April 2023 |website=Politika |language=sr}} Žika Gojković, the former leader of POKS, joined SNS in late October 2023.{{Cite web |date=31 October 2023 |title=Nekadašnji lider POKS-a Žika Gojković postao član SNS |trans-title=The former leader of POKS Žika Gojković became a member of SNS |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/nekadasnji-lider-poks-a-zika-gojkovic-postao-clan-sns/ |access-date=10 November 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
Beginning in September 2022, speculations arose whether Vučić would form a separate political party.{{Cite web |last=Vlaović |first=G. |date=12 September 2022 |title=Vučić gasi Srpsku naprednu stranku i formira "Moju Srbiju"? |trans-title=Vučić to shut down the Serbian Progressive Party and form My Serbia? |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vucic-gasi-srpsku-naprednu-stranku-i-formira-moju-srbiju/ |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}} Vučić confirmed the formation of the People's Movement for the State (NPZD), a political movement, in March 2023.{{Cite web |last=Barišić |first=Vera |date=8 March 2023 |title=Formiranje Narodnog pokreta |trans-title=The formation of the People's Movement |url=http://fonet.rs/politika/36275375/formiranje-narodnog-pokreta.html |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=FoNet portal |language=sr}} It was announced that SNS will be a member of the movement.{{Cite web |date=27 May 2023 |title=Vučević zvanično novi predsednik SNS: Mogu vanredni izbori, ne i prelazna vlada |trans-title=Vučević is officially the new SNS president: Extraordinary elections are possible, but not the transitional government |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/milos-vucevic-zvanicno-izabran-za-novog-predsednika-sns/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Initially, the movement was set to be formed by May 2023, however, the date of the formalisation was then moved to autumn 2023.{{Cite web |date=20 April 2023 |title=Vučić najavio povlačenje sa čela SNS-a 27. maja, formiranje Narodnog pokreta za Srbiju na Vidovdan |trans-title=Vučić announced his resignation from the leadership of SNS on 27 May, the formation of the People's Movement for Serbia on Vidovdan |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vucic-najavio-povlacenje-sa-cela-sns-a-27-maja-formiranje-narodnog-pokreta-za-srbiju-na-vidovdan/ |access-date=21 April 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=29 July 2023 |title=Glišić (SNS) o Narodnom pokretu za državu: Videćemo, možda s jeseni budu neki konkretni koraci po tom pitanju |trans-title=Glišić (SNS) on the People's Movement for the State: We will see, maybe in the autumn there will be some concrete steps in this matter |url=https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/glisic-sns-o-narodnom-pokretu-za-drzavu-videcemo-mozda-s-jeseni-budu-neki-konkretni-koraci-po-tom-pitanju/ |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=NOVA portal |language=sr}} At the SNS main board session, held in October 2023, there were no mentions of NPZD, however, later that month, Vučić announced that NPZD will be formalised "in the coming period".{{Cite web |last=Radovanović |first=Vojin |date=17 October 2023 |title="Bio formiran ili ne - svešće se na slogan": Svi rokovi prošli, izbori se bliže, a Narodnog pokreta za državu još nema |trans-title="Whether formed or not - it will come down to a slogan": All deadlines have passed, the elections are approaching, and there is still no People's Movement for the State |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/aleksandar-vucic-narodni-pokret-za-drzavu-vukadinovic-andjelkovic-izbori/ |access-date=18 October 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Lukač |first=Davor |date=22 October 2023 |title=Uskoro narodni pokret |trans-title=The People's Movement will be formed soon |url=http://fonet.rs/politika/36380453/uskoro-narodni-pokret.html |access-date=23 October 2023 |website=FoNet portal |language=sr}} Vučić revived the question about the formation of the NPZD in February 2024; he said that the movement "should continue the economic growth of Serbia and defend [Serbia's] national and state interests" (koji će imati snage da ubrza ekonomski rast Srbije i odbrani naše nacionalne i državne interese).{{Cite news |date=13 February 2024 |title=Vučić: Došlo vreme za osnivanje velikog pokreta za narod i državu |trans-title=Vučić: The time has come to establish a great movement for the people and the state |url=https://www.tanjug.rs/srbija/politika/73829/vucic-doslo-vreme-za-osnivanje-velikog-pokreta-za-narod-i-drzavu/vest |access-date=17 February 2024 |work=Tanjug |language=sr}} In an interview in December 2024, Vučić announced that the movement is scheduled to be formed on 15 March 2025 and that he would not preside over the movement.{{Cite web |last=Milenković |first=M. |date=28 December 2024 |title=Zašto Aleksandar Vučić, u trenutku širenja protesta, ponovo lansira priču o formiranju Narodnog pokreta za državu? |trans-title=Why did Aleksandar Vučić, at the moment of protests, relaunch the story of the formation of the People's Movement for the State? |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/aleksandar-vucic-protesti-narodni-pokret/ |access-date=2 January 2025 |website=Danas |language=sr}} A rally promoting the movement was held on 24 January 2025.{{Cite web |date=24 January 2025 |title=Skup u Jagodini povodom osnivanja Pokreta za narod i državu |trans-title=Gathering in Jagodina on the occasion of the founding of the Movement for the People and the State |url=https://www.rts.rs/lat/vesti/politika/5635216/jagodina-pokret-za-narod-i-drzavu-vucic.html |access-date=24 January 2025 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}
A party assembly and a leadership election was held on 27 May 2023.{{Cite web |last=Milenković |first=M. R. |date=10 March 2023 |title=Vučić na sednici GO SNS: Tražim vašu podršku, sazvaću Skupštinu SNS 27. maja |trans-title=Vučić at the main board SNS session: I am asking for your support, I will convene the SNS assembly on 27 May |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vucic-na-sednici-go-sns-trazim-vasu-podrsku-budemo-otvoreni-za-stvaranje-narodnog-pokreta-za-drzavu/ |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}}{{Cite news |date=20 April 2023 |title=Vučić najavio povlačenje sa čela SNS-a 27. maja, formiranje Narodnog pokreta za Srbiju na Vidovdan |language=sr |trans-title=Vučić announces his resignation from the leadership of SNS on 27 May, the formation of the People's Movement for Serbia on Vidovdan |newspaper=Danas |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vucic-najavio-povlacenje-sa-cela-sns-a-27-maja-formiranje-narodnog-pokreta-za-srbiju-na-vidovdan/ |access-date=21 April 2023}} Miloš Vučević was elected as Vučić's successor and president of SNS.{{Cite web |date=26 May 2023 |title=SNS sutra dobija novog predsednika: Najavio Vučić na mitingu |trans-title=SNS will get a new president tomorrow: Vučić announced at the rally |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/aleksandar-vucic-miting-srbija-nade/ |access-date=26 May 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Marić |first=Dunja |date=27 May 2023 |title=Miloš Vučević novi predsednik SNS |trans-title=Miloš Vučević is the new president of SNS |url=https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/milos-vucevic-novi-predsednik-sns/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |website=NOVA portal |language=sr}} Journalist Ana Lalić characterised the change as "cosmetic".{{Cite web |date=27 May 2023 |title=Ana Lalić: Vučević samo kozmetička promena, SNS ostaje u rukama porodice Vučić |trans-title=Ana Lalić: Vučević is only a cosmetic change, SNS remains in the hands of the Vučić family |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/ana-lalic-vucevic-samo-kozmeticka-promena-sns-ostaje-u-rukama-porodice-vucic/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Vučević is a close associate and lawyer of the Vučić family, including Andrej Vučić.{{Cite web |last=Sejdinović |first=Nedim |date=10 March 2021 |title=Čovek bez svojstava |trans-title=A man without attributes |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/covek-bez-svojstava/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |website=Vreme |language=sr}}
Following the mass shootings in May 2023, the Belgrade school shooting and a mass murder near Mladenovac and Smederevo, SNS was met with anti-government protests, dubbed Serbia Against Violence.{{Cite news |date=3 May 2023 |title=Belgrade shooting: Teen made 'kill list' for Serbia school attack |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65468404 |url-status=live |access-date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230503091248/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65468404 |archive-date=3 May 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Dragojlo |first=Saša |date=5 May 2023 |title=Second Mass Shooting in Two Days Stuns Serbia, Killing Eight |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2023/05/05/second-mass-shooting-in-two-days-stuns-serbia-killing-eight/ |access-date=17 May 2023 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=8 May 2023 |title=Protest protiv nasilja: Građani tražili ostavke, organizatori – na ulici 50.000 |trans-title=Protest Against Violence: Citizens demanded resignations, organisers – 50,000 on the streets |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/protest-opozicije-srbija-protiv-nasilja/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518003642/https://n1info.rs/vesti/protest-opozicije-srbija-protiv-nasilja/ |archive-date=18 May 2023 |access-date=17 May 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} The protests were attended by tens of thousands of demonstrators and despite being organised by opposition parties, no party signs were reported to be seen at the protests.{{Cite news |date=12 May 2023 |title=Tens of thousands march in Belgrade after mass shootings |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/12/tens-of-thousands-march-in-belgrade-after-mass-shootings |url-status=live |access-date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517015943/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/12/tens-of-thousands-march-in-belgrade-after-mass-shootings |archive-date=17 May 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last1=Jeremić |first1=Ivana |last2=Stojanović |first2=Milica |last3=Dragojlo |first3=Saša |date=12 May 2023 |title=Serbians Hold Mass Protest Against Culture of Violence After Shootings |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2023/05/12/serbians-hold-mass-protest-against-culture-of-violence-after-shootings/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512195516/https://balkaninsight.com/2023/05/12/serbians-hold-mass-protest-against-culture-of-violence-after-shootings/ |archive-date=12 May 2023 |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} Due to SNS not accepting the demands of the protests, opposition parties organising the protests started demanding for early elections in September 2023.{{Cite news |last=Bogdanović |first=Nevena |date=5 September 2023 |title=Zbog neispunjenih zahteva opozicija traži izbore u Srbiji |language=sr |trans-title=Due to unfulfilled demands, the opposition is demanding elections in Serbia |work=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-parlament-opozicija-izbori-zahtevi/32579603.html |access-date=10 November 2023}} Throughout 2023, Vučić announced several times that he would call early elections, ultimately setting 17 December as the date of the elections once opposition parties started demanding early election.{{Cite web |date=14 May 2023 |title=Aleksandar Vučić u Smederevu: Izbori će biti najkasnije u septembru |trans-title=Aleksandar Vučić in Smederevo: The elections will be held in September at the latest |url=https://www.vreme.com/vesti/aleksandar-vucic-u-smederevu-izbori-ce-biti-najkasnije-u-septembru/ |access-date=14 May 2023 |website=Vreme |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=12 October 2023 |title=Vučić: Izbori će biti održani 17. decembra |trans-title=Vučić: Elections will be held on 17 December |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/vucic-izbori-ce-biti-odrzani-17-decembra/ |access-date=12 October 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} For the 2023 parliamentary election, SNS announced that it would contest under the Serbia Must Not Stop banner with its allies.{{Cite web |date=2 November 2023 |title=SNS prva predala RIK-u izbornu listu uz 92.637 potpisa podrške |trans-title=SNS was the first to submit the election list to the RIK with 92,637 signatures of support |url=https://www.tanjug.rs/izbori-2023/vesti/57305/sns-prva-predala-rik-u-izbornu-listu-uz-92637-potpisa-podrske/vest |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=Tanjug |language=sr}} In the parliamentary election, SNS was also joined by opposition-turned-pro-government parties such as Milan Stamatović's Healthy Serbia, Tatjana Macura formerly of Party of Modern Serbia, Radoslav Milojičić's Serbian Left, and Dejan Bulatović's Alliance of Social Democrats.{{Cite web |date=27 October 2023 |title=Vučić: Izbore raspisujem u sredu ili četvrtak |trans-title=Vučić: I am calling the elections on Wednesday or Thursday |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/vucic-otkrio-kada-ce-raspisati-izbore/ |access-date=29 October 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=5 November 2023 |title=Macura, Kena, Bulatović: Vučića zvali šonjom i izdajnikom Kosova - novi SNS lavovi za svoj prelet krive sve od Đilasa do Danasa |trans-title=Macura, Kena, Bulatović: They called Vučić a coward and a traitor of Kosovo - the new SNS lions blame everyone from Đilas to Danas for their switch |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/izbori-2023/macura-kena-milojicic-vucica-zvali-sonjom-i-izdajnikom-kosova-novi-sns-lavovi-za-svoj-prelet-krive-sve-od-djilasa-do-danasa/ |access-date=7 November 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}} Provincial elections were also called on 16 November; SNS submitted its electoral list on the same day.{{Cite web |date=16 November 2023 |title=Predata Izborna lista Aleksandar Vučić – Vojvodina ne sme da stane |trans-title=The electoral list Aleksandar Vučić – Vojvodina Must Not Stop has been submitted |url=https://insajder.net/prenosimo/predata-izborna-lista-aleksandar-vucic-vojvodina-ne-sme-da-stane |access-date=16 November 2023 |website=Insajder |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=16 November 2023 |title=Raspušta se pokrajinski parlament |trans-title=The provincial parliament has been dissolved |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/poslanici-skupstine-vojvodine-usvojili-odluku-o-raspustanju-pokrajinskog-parlamenta/ |access-date=16 November 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} For the first time, Mirović did not appear on the SNS electoral list for the provincial election.{{Cite web |last=Valtner |first=Lidija |date=21 November 2023 |title=Mirovića nema na listi naprednjaka za Vojvodinu, zašto? |trans-title=Mirović is not on the list of Progressives for Vojvodina, why? |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/izbori-2023/mirovic-lista-sns/ |access-date=21 November 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}}
In the parliamentary election, the SNS-led coalition won 128 seats, 103 seats of which went to SNS alone.{{Cite web |date=18 December 2023 |title=CeSID i IPSOS obradili 99,8 odsto uzorka: SNS-u 128 mandata, SPN-u 65 |trans-title=CeSID and IPSOS processed 99.8 percent of the sample: SNS 128 mandates, SPN 65 |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/izbori-2023/cesid-i-ipsos-obradili-972-odsto-uzorka-sns-u-128-mandata-spn-u-65/ |access-date=19 December 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} In the provincial election, it won 53 seats and in the Belgrade City Assembly election, it won 40 seats. The Belgrade City Assembly election resulted in a hung parliament.{{Cite web |date=31 December 2023 |title=Vučić: Formiranje vlasti u Beogradu zavisi od liste Branimira Nestorovića, Brnabić neće biti premijer |trans-title=Vučić: The formation of the government in Belgrade depends on Branimir Nestorović's list, Brnabić will not be prime minister |url=https://insajder.net/prenosimo/vucic-formiranje-vlasti-u-beogradu-zavisi-od-liste-branimira-nestorovica-brnabic-nece-biti-premijer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621220356/https://insajder.net/prenosimo/vucic-formiranje-vlasti-u-beogradu-zavisi-od-liste-branimira-nestorovica-brnabic-nece-biti-premijer |archive-date=21 June 2024 |access-date=21 June 2024 |website=Insajder |language=sr}} After the elections, the Serbia Against Violence coalition organised anti-government protests up to 30 December.{{cite web |date=18 December 2023 |title=Protesti opozicije pred zgradom RIK-a, traže poništavanje izbora u Beogradu |trans-title=Protest of the opposition in front of the RIK building, they are demanding the annulling of the elections in Belgrade |url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/news/balkan/liveblog/2023/12/18/rik-na-osnovu-7-847-birackih-mesta-srbija-ne-sme-da-stane-4684-odsto-glasova |access-date=18 December 2023 |website=Al Jazeera |language=sr}}{{Cite news |date=30 December 2023 |title=Hiljade ljudi na protestu inicijative ProGlas, poništavanje izbora jedini zahtev |trans-title=Thousands of people at the protest of the ProGlas initiative, annulment of the election the only demand |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-67843134 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621220819/https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-67843134 |archive-date=21 June 2024 |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=BBC News |language=sr}} Once the 14th National Assembly of Serbia was constituted, Jovanov continued to chair the SNS-led parliamentary group.{{Cite web |date=10 March 2024 |title=U Skupštini Srbije formirano 16 poslaničkih grupa |trans-title=16 parliamentary groups were formed in the Serbian Parliament |url=https://www.rts.rs/lat/vesti/politika/5385839/u-skupstini-srbije-formirano-16-poslanickih-grupa.html |access-date=7 July 2024 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} The City Assembly of Belgrade was not constituted because the quorum was not met during the constitutive session.{{Cite news |date=3 March 2024 |title=Skupština Beograda nije formirana, ide se na nove izbore |trans-title=The Assembly of Belgrade has not been formed, new elections will be held |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-vucic-izbori-beograd-skupstina/32845781.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318133931/https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-vucic-izbori-beograd-skupstina/32845781.html |archive-date=18 March 2024 |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=Radio Free Europe |language=sr}} This resulted into the 2024 Belgrade City Assembly election.{{Cite news |date=26 April 2024 |title=Raspisani lokalni izbori u Srbiji za 2. jun |trans-title=Local elections in Serbia announced for 2 June |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-lokalni-izbori/32921836.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515235105/https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-lokalni-izbori/32921836.html |archive-date=15 May 2024 |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=Radio Free Europe |language=sr}} For this election, SNS formed a joint electoral list with its partners, including SPS and SSZ.{{Cite web |date=7 April 2024 |title=SNS, SPS i Zavetnici predali zajedničku listu za beogradske izbore |trans-title=SNS, SPS and Oathkeepers submitted a joint list for the Belgrade elections |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/sns-sps-i-zavetnici-predali-zajednicku-listu-za-beogradske-izbore/hy75hbr |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=Blic |language=sr}} Vučević said that the electoral list is effectively the NPZD.{{Cite web |date=19 May 2024 |title=Vučević u Novom Sadu: Naša lista je nadstranačka, to je pokret za državu i narod predvođen Vučićem |trans-title=Vučević in Novi Sad: Our list is non-partisan, it is a movement for the state and the people led by Vučević |url=https://www.021.rs/story/Novi-Sad/Vesti/375914/Vucevic-u-Novom-Sadu-Nasa-lista-je-nadstranacka-to-je-pokret-za-drzavu-i-narod-predvodjen-Vucicem.html |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=021.rs |language=sr}} Journalist Zoran Panović said that with the formation of the electoral list, the NPZD was also effectively created, despite not having an official announcement.{{Cite web |last=Panović |first=Zoran |date=22 May 2024 |title=Naprednjački "kop" u Novom Sadu i stari navijač sa "šipke" |trans-title=Progressive "prospect" in Novi Sad and an old fan from the "rod" |url=https://www.nedeljnik.rs/naprednjacki-kop-u-novom-sadu-i-stari-navijac-sa-sipke-citajte-u-novom-broju-nedeljnika/ |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=Nedeljnik |language=sr}} In the election, the Belgrade Tomorrow electoral list won 52 percent of the popular vote and 64 out of 110 seats in the City Assembly of Belgrade.{{Cite web |date=14 June 2024 |title=Izveštaj o rezultatima izbora za odbornike Skupštine Grada Beograda |trans-title=Report on the results of the elections for councillors of the City of Belgrade Assembly |url=https://www.beograd.rs/images/file/2704f91c5fe52728b98f535fd2381b46_6148398695.pdf |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=City of Belgrade}}
During Vučević's term as prime minister, the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapsed in November 2024. In the aftermath, ministers Goran Vesić and Tomislav Momirović resigned.{{Cite news |date=4 November 2024 |title=Goran Vesić podnosi ostavku zbog nesreće u Novom Sadu, kroz suze se obratio kolegama iz stranke |trans-title=Goran Vesić is resigning due to the accident in Novi Sad, through tears he addressed his colleagues from the party |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/goran-vesic-podnosi-ostavku/ |access-date=4 November 2024 |work=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite news |date=20 November 2024 |title=Tomislav Momirović podneo ostavku |trans-title=Tomislav Momirović has resigned |url=https://www.nin.rs/politika/vesti/62117/tomislav-momirovic-podneo-ostavku |access-date=21 November 2024 |work=NIN |language=sr}} Soon after, mass student-led anti-corruption protests began in December 2024.{{Cite news |last=Komarčević |first=Dušan |date=31 December 2024 |title=Šta studenti protestom traže i kako je vlast Srbije na to odgovorila? |trans-title=What are the students asking for with the protest and how did the Serbian government respond to that? |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-zahtevi-studenata-fakulteti-blokade/33259259.html |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=Radio Free Europe |language=sr}} Amidst the protests, Vučić claimed that within SNS he had 17,000 "extremely pro-Russian oriented loyalists", including his brother Andrej Vučić, who swore a blood oath to defend him and his regime against an alleged Western-backed "colour revolution" in Serbia.{{cite web |last=Georgijev |first=Slobodan |date=2 January 2024 |title=Ski jumping for loyalists |url=https://vreme.com/en/vreme/skakaonica-za-lojaliste/ |access-date=12 January 2025 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} After a group of students were physically attacked in Novi Sad by the party activists, Vučević tendered his resignation from office on 28 January 2025.{{Cite web |date=28 January 2025 |title=Miloš Vučević podneo ostavku, priznao da su članovi SNS napali studente |trans-title=Miloš Vučević resigned, admitted that SNS members attacked students |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/milos-vucevic-podneo-ostavku/ |access-date=28 January 2025 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
Ideology and platform
= Political leanings =
Following the establishment of SNS, Aleksandar Vučić denounced his previous support for the establishment of Greater Serbia, while Tomislav Nikolić stated that SNS would continue the accession of Serbia to the European Union.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2008 |title=Velika Srbija nerealna |trans-title=Greater Serbia is unrealistic |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/24908/velika-srbija-nerealna.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=3 July 2009 |title=Nikolić: Srbija na dobrom putu ka EU |trans-title=Nikolić: Serbia is on the right path to the EU |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/71637/nikolic-srbija-na-dobrom-putu-ka-eu.html |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}} SNS declared its main tasks to be "fight against corruption and the realisation of the rule of law",{{Cite book |last=Dulić |first=Jasminka |url=http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/phd/fulltext/BG20120710DULIC.pdf |title=Političko-ideološke orijentacije i stranačke preferencije stanovnika Vojvodine |publisher=Faculty of Political Studies |year=2012 |location=Belgrade |pages=90 |language=sr |trans-title=Political-ideological orientations and party preferences of the citizens of Vojvodina}} while describing itself as a "state-building party".{{Cite book |last=Zgodić |first=Esad |url=https://www.preporod.ba/wp-content/uploads/godisnjak-2015.pdf |title=Godišnjak 2015 |publisher=Preporod |year=2015 |location=Sarajevo |pages=132 |language=bs |trans-title=2015 yearbook |chapter=O jednoj zlotvornoj uobrazilji: državotvorne i stožerne nacionalne partije |trans-chapter=About a malicious conceit: state-forming and central national parties |issn=1512-8180}} Its white paper (election programme) was published in October 2011.{{Cite book |last=Biserko |first=Sonja |title=Opstrukcija Evropskog puta |publisher=Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji |year=2011 |isbn=978-86-7208-185-5 |location=Belgrade |language=sr |trans-title=Obstruction of the road towards Europe}}{{rp|page=189|pages=}} Jovan Teokarević, an associate professor at the Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences, described their ideological orientation as a "complete u-turn" in comparison with the Serbian Radical Party (SRS).{{Cite book |last=Teokarević |first=Jovan |title=The Western Balkans and the EU: The Hour of Europe |date=June 2011 |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |isbn=978-92-9198-187-8 |location=Paris |pages=63 |doi=10.2815/24268 |issn=1017-7566}} Bojana Barlovac, a Balkan Insight journalist, stated that SNS "became much closer to DS on its policy profile", although in 2013, she described the party as conservative.{{Cite web |last=Barlovac |first=Bojana |date=27 September 2010 |title=Key Parties in Serbia |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2010/09/27/who-is-who-political-parties-in-serbia/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Barlovac |first=Bojana |date=29 January 2013 |title=Tensions Rise over Status of Serbian Province |work=Balkan Insight |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2013/01/29/tensions-rise-over-status-of-serbia-s-vojvodina/ |access-date=3 September 2022}}
SNS has been described as a populist party.{{Cite news |last=Bilefsky |first=Dan |date=25 July 2012 |title=Next Premier of Serbia Is From Party of Milosevic |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/world/europe/new-serb-leader-stokes-fears-of-return-to-nationalism.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |issn=0362-4331}} SNS presented itself as a party of the ordinary people who were "left behind socioeconomically by the transition to democracy and a market economy".{{Cite journal |last=Spasojević |first=Dušan |date=2023 |title=Balancing on a pin: Serbian populists, the European Union and Russia |url=https://www.populismstudies.org/balancing-on-a-pin-serbian-populists-the-european-union-and-russia/ |journal=The Impacts of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on Right-wing Populism in Europe |doi=10.55271/rp0028}} Biserko stated that SNS is populist and that it built its ideological image on "social dissatisfaction".{{Cite book |last=Biserko |first=Sonja |title=Ljudska prava: odraz institucionalne nemoći |publisher=Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji |year=2011 |isbn=978-86-7208-179-4 |location=Belgrade |pages= |language=sr |trans-title=Human rights: a reflection of institutional impotence}}{{rp|page=|pages=20–21}} Zoran Lutovac, a political scientist and future president of DS, described SNS as populist.{{Cite book |last=Lutovac |first=Zoran |url=https://plus.cobiss.net/cobiss/sr/sr/bib/ubni/246796556 |title=Populizam |publisher=Institut društvenih nauka |year=2017 |isbn=978-86-7093-190-9 |editor-link=Zoran Lutovac |location=Belgrade |language=sr |trans-title=Populism}}{{rp|page=91|pages=}} He also added that SNS does not have a "coherent ideology" and that its coalition "includes everyone, regardless of their ideology".{{rp|page=88|pages=}} Scholars and political scientists such as Justin Vaïsse and Florian Bieber also agreed that SNS is populist.{{Cite book |last1=Vaïsse |first1=Justin |url=https://ecfr.eu/wp-content/uploads/ECFR73_SCORECARD_2013_AW.pdf |title=European Foreign Policy: Scoreboard |last2=Dennison |first2=Susi |publisher=European Council on Foreign Relations |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-906538-73-6 |location=London |pages=80}}{{Cite book |last=Bieber |first=Florian |title=The Routledge Handbook of East European Politics |publisher=Routledge |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-315-68768-1 |pages=27–38 |chapter=Belated Transitions in South Eastern Europe |doi=10.4324/9781315687681-3 |quote=...and in Serbia, where the populist Serbian Progressive Party... |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315687681-3/belated-transitions-south-eastern-europe-florian-bieber}} Zoran Stojiljković and Dušan Spasojević, professors at the Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences, noted that following the formation of SNS, the Serbian political system acquired characteristics of moderate pluralism, and described SNS as a catch-all party.{{Cite book |last1=Stojiljković |first1=Zoran |url=https://www.fpn.bg.ac.rs/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/rider-za-pips-sa-ispitnim-pitanjima.pdf |title=Programske pozicije i unutarstranački odnosi stranaka u Srbiji |last2=Spasojević |first2=Dušan |publisher=Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade |year=2016 |location=Belgrade |pages= |language=sr |trans-title=Positions of programmes and intra-party relations of parties in Serbia}}{{rp|page=448|pages=}} Additionally, they noted that SNS was formed as a centre-right party,{{Cite journal |last1=Stojiljković |first1=Zoran |last2=Spasojević |first2=Dušan |date=2018 |title=Populistički Zeitgeist u "proevropskoj" Srbiji |trans-title=Populist Zeitgeist in "pro-European" Serbia |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/206605 |journal=Politička misao: Časopis za politologiju |language=sr |volume=55 |issue=3 |pages=104–128 |doi=10.20901/pm.55.3.04 |s2cid=166171942 |via=Hrčak|doi-access=free }}{{rp|page=115|pages=}} although its image shifted to the centre after the 2012 elections.{{rp|page=452|pages=}} Stojiljković and Spasojević also noted that SNS showed "clear populistic elements",{{rp|page=115|pages=}} and that "populist ideas are integral and important for its ideological profile".{{rp|page=116|pages=}} Marko Stojić, a Metropolitan University Prague lecturer, also noted that SNS has an eclectic and weakly-rooted ideological profile and that it lacks firm political principles,{{Cite journal |last=Stojić |first=Marko |date=2015 |title=Transformation or Defiance: The Impact of the European People's Party on Serbian and Croatia Parties |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=288999 |journal=Politologický časopis |volume=XXII |issue=2 |page=159 |issn=1211-3247}} while he also described SNS as a "typical catch-all party".{{rp|page=135|pages=}} Eric Gordy, a professor at the University College London, considers SNS to be a party "based around [Vučić]".{{Cite web |last=Maričić |first=Slobodan |date=8 August 2022 |title=Partijski sukobi bez epiloga: Zašto se SNS nijednom nije pocepao, a DS jeste |trans-title=Party conflicts without an epilogue: Why the SNS never split, but the DS did |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-62424591 |access-date=29 December 2022 |website=BBC News |language=sr}} Political analyst Ivana Petronijević Terzić has described SNS as clientelistic and said that SNS does not represent any ideology or a category of population. Dušan Milenković, a political consultant, compared SNS to the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ), however, he added that unlike SKJ, SNS does not express a clear ideology and its policy is rather based on populist measures that span across wide spectrum of political ideologies, from the left to the right.{{Cite web |last=Milenković |first=Mirjana R. |date=21 October 2023 |title=Koliko se SNS promenio od osnivanja do danas: Iz stranke nestali gotovo svi osnivači, a Vučić postao Šešelj sa novom ambalažom |trans-title=How much SNS has changed since its formation until today: Almost all the founders disappeared from the party, and Vučić became Šešelj with a new packaging |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/sns-15-godina-od-osnivanja-vucic-sabac/ |access-date=23 October 2023 |website=Danas |language=sr}} de Launey described SNS as a "ideologically elusive" party.{{Cite news |last=de Launey |first=Guy |date=13 December 2023 |title=Aleksandar Vucic dominates Serbian election as vote nears |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67657839 |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=BBC News}}
Ognjen Zorić of Radio Free Europe also described the party as centrist and catch-all, although it noted that "some analysts also stated that the party is right-leaning and conservative".{{Cite news |last=Zorić |first=Ognjen |date=25 January 2018 |title=Desno od Vučića i naprednjaka |language=sr |trans-title=To the right of Vučić and the progressives |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/srbija-politicka-desnica/28994312.html |access-date=23 September 2022}} Bieber described SNS centre-right but also as "non-ideological".{{Cite journal |last=Bieber |first=Florian |date=16 August 2017 |title=Patterns of competitive authoritarianism in the Western Balkans |journal=East European Politics |volume=34 |issue=3 |pages=343 |doi=10.1080/21599165.2018.1490272 |s2cid=158413291 |doi-access=free }} BBC News noted that SNS "does not have a clear programmatic nor ideological vision", and added that SNS functions as a catch-all party. Bojan Klačar of CeSID stated that SNS "espouses a right-of-centre ideology", but stated that "more importantly, SNS is a catch-all party" that captures a wide variety of opinions, and that SNS can be also considered to be liberal and pro-European.{{Cite web |last=Klačar |first=Bojan |date=4 August 2020 |title=Serbia's Right-Wing Shift Risks Fuelling Extremism |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2020/08/04/serbias-right-wing-shift-risks-fuelling-extremism/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Petrović |first=Ivica |date=29 October 2018 |title=Sopstveni put u populizam |trans-title=Own path to populism |url=https://www.dw.com/sr/sopstveni-put-u-populizam/a-46066822 |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=sr}} Political scientists Đorđe Pavićević and Boban Stojanović, journalist Ivan Radovanović, and authors Aleksandar Marinković and Novak Gajić also described SNS as a catch-all party.{{Cite web |last=Miladinović |first=Aleksandar |date=20 May 2020 |title=Koliko su se naprednjaci promenili od dolaska na vlast |trans-title=How much have the Progressives changed since coming to power |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-52676959 |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=BBC News |language=sr}}{{Cite book |last1=Marinković |first1=Aleksandar |title=The Routledge handbook of local elections and voting in Europe |last2=Gajić |first2=Novak |date=2022 |publisher=Routledge |others=Adam Gendźwiłł, Ulrik Kjaer, Kristof Steyvers |isbn=978-1-003-00967-2 |location=Abingdon, Oxon |chapter=Serbia: three phases of local electoral politics after 1990 |oclc=1273727774}}{{Cite web |last=Valtner |first=Lidija |date=22 October 2018 |title=Šta je novo osnivanje SNS donelo političkoj sceni Srbije? |trans-title=What did the new establishment of SNS bring to the Serbian political scene? |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/sta-je-novo-osnivanje-sns-donelo-politickoj-sceni-srbije/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} Danas noted that as a catch-all party, SNS has sought to "attract all voters, regardless of ideological commitment" and has flirted with "the most diverse ideologies". Journalist Vuk Jeremić described SNS as a centrist party that includes elements from the left and the right that are "all packaged in a populist form" (sve upakovano u populistički pitku formu).{{Cite web |last=Jeremić |first=Vuk |date=19 June 2024 |title=Kako su naprednjaci progutali desnicu: Ideološka gibanja na srpskoj političkoj sceni |trans-title=How the Progressives swallowed the right: Ideological movements on the Serbian political scene |url=https://www.nin.rs/politika/vesti/51427/kako-su-naprednjaci-progutali-desnicu |access-date=7 July 2024 |website=NIN |language=sr}} Political analyst Đorđe Vukadinović said that the image of SNS is very complex and that its rhetoric is the complete opposite of its actual actions.
Political scientist Vassilis Petsinis stated that SNS took advantage of fragmentation of centrist and centre-right political parties and that it has consolidated its grip on power by dominating the "continuum that stretches from the liberal centre to the conservative right".{{Cite journal |last1=Lordkipanidze |first1=Mariam |last2=Albrecht |first2=Héloïse |last3=Petsinis |first3=Vassilis |date=2022 |title=Mapping European Populism: Populist Authoritarian Tendencies in Central and Eastern Europe, and Challenges to the EU |url=https://www.populismstudies.org/report-on-panel-1-mapping-european-populism-populist-authoritarian-tendencies-in-central-and-eastern-europe-and-challenges-to-the-eu/ |journal=European Center for Populism Studies |doi=10.55271/rp0004}} Additionally, political scientist Branislav Radeljić, author Laurence Mitchell, and Palgrave Macmillan in their The Statesman's Yearbook had described SNS as centrist,{{Cite book |last=Radeljić |first=Branislav |title=Turkey's Return to the Western Balkans: Policies of Continuity and Transformation |publisher=Springer |year=2022 |isbn=978-3-031-10074-1 |pages=83}}{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Laurence |title=Serbia: The Bradt Travel Guide |date=2013 |isbn=978-1-84162-463-1 |edition=4th |location=Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks, UK |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |pages=34 |oclc=839317078}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBs9DgAAQBAJ&q=centrist+Serbian+Progressive+Party&pg=PA1050 |title=The Statesman's Yearbook 2017: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World |date=2017 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-349-68398-7 |editor=Palgrave Macmillan |page=1050}} while George Vasilev, a La Trobe University lecturer, and Srđan Mladenov Jovanović, a scholar, described SNS as centre-right;{{Cite journal |last=Vasilev |first=George |date=2016 |title=LGBT recognition in EU accession states: How identification with Europe enhances the transformative power of discourse |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260210515000522/type/journal_article |journal=Review of International Studies |language=en |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=748–772 |doi=10.1017/S0260210515000522 |issn=0260-2105 |s2cid=146627940}}{{Cite journal |last=Jovanović |first=Srđan Mladenov |date=15 March 2021 |title=The portal 'Nationalist' as the nutshell of recent Serbian nationalism |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14608944.2020.1733511 |journal=National Identities |language=en |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=149–162 |doi=10.1080/14608944.2020.1733511 |bibcode=2021NatId..23..149J |issn=1460-8944 |s2cid=216247990}} some authors had also described it as a right-wing party.{{Citation |last1=Iazzolino |first1=Gianluca |title=Hybrid Governance, Strategic Communication and the Quest for Institutional Legitimacy |date=2019 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-16748-6_8 |work=Media, Communication and the Struggle for Democratic Change |pages=185–204 |editor-last=Voltmer |editor-first=Katrin |access-date=28 September 2022 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-16748-6_8 |isbn=978-3-030-16747-9 |s2cid=203243609 |last2=Stremlau |first2=Nicole |editor2-last=Christensen |editor2-first=Christian |editor3-last=Neverla |editor3-first=Irene |editor4-last=Stremlau |editor4-first=Nicole}}{{Citation |last=Himmrich |first=Julia |title=Germany: From Cautious Recogniser to Kosovo's Key EU Ally |date=2020 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-17945-8_4 |work=The Politics of Recognition and Engagement |pages=61–82 |editor-last=Armakolas |editor-first=Ioannis |access-date=28 September 2022 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-17945-8_4 |isbn=978-3-030-17944-1 |s2cid=198827704 |editor2-last=Ker-Lindsay |editor2-first=James}}
Sociologist Jovo Bakić described SNS as a "pragmatically re-profiled" and moderately conservative party, and compared its development to Gianfranco Fini's projects in Italy.{{Cite book |last=Bakić |first=Jovo |url=https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id-moe/09659.pdf |title=Right-Wing Extremism in Serbia |publisher=Friedrich Ebert Foundation |date=February 2013 |isbn=978-3-86498-463-1 |location=Berlin |pages=2}} Additionally, he stated that "since its foundation SNS had wanted to remodel itself as a conservative party".{{Cite book |last=Bakić |first=Jovo |url=https://isi.f.bg.ac.rs/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mladen-Lazic-Slobodan-Cvejic-Promene-osnovnih-struktura.pdf |title=Promene osnovnih struktura društva Srbije u periodu ubrzane transformacije |publisher=Čigoja štampa |year=2013 |location=Belgrade |pages=227 |language=sr |trans-title=Changes in the basic structures of Serbian society in the period of accelerated transformation |chapter=Populizam ili demagogija u političkom životu Srbije? |trans-chapter=Populism or demagoguery in the political life of Serbia?}} Some scholars and journalists also described SNS as conservative,{{Cite journal |last=Garding |first=Sarah |date=2018 |title=Weak by design? Diaspora engagement and institutional change in Croatia and Serbia |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192512118755202 |journal=International Political Science Review |language= |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=353–368 |doi=10.1177/0192512118755202 |s2cid=158578424 |issn=0192-5121}} liberal-conservative,{{Cite journal |last=Čamprag |first=Nebojša |date=2 January 2019 |title=Re-imagineering Belgrade and Skopje: urban megaprojects between politics and struggle |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09654313.2018.1545011 |journal=European Planning Studies |language=en |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=181–200 |doi=10.1080/09654313.2018.1545011 |s2cid=158202545 |issn=0965-4313}}{{Cite web |last=Dérens |first=Jean-Arnault |date=1 December 2016 |title=Rewriting Balkan history |url=https://mondediplo.com/2016/12/10balkans |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Le Monde |language=en}} and national-conservative.{{cite journal |last=Zulianello |first=Mattia |date=April 2020 |title=Varieties of Populist Parties and Party Systems in Europe: From State-of-the-Art to the Application of a Novel Classification Scheme to 66 Parties in 33 Countries |journal=Government and Opposition |publisher=Cambridge University Press |volume=55 |issue=2 |pages=327–347 |doi=10.1017/gov.2019.21 |doi-access=free|hdl=11368/3001222 |hdl-access=free }}{{cite book |last=Zurnić |first=Marija |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uzFgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA48 |title=Corruption and Democratic Transition in Eastern Europe: The Role of Political Scandals in Post-Milošević Serbia |date=2018 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-90101-5 |page=48}} Stojić said that even though SNS "claimed to belong to the [conservative] family", it is essentially pragmatic and weakly ideologically profiled.{{Cite book |last=Stojic |first=Marko |title=Party responses to the EU in the western Balkans : transformation, opposition or defiance? |date=2018 |isbn=978-3-319-59563-4 |location=Cham, Switzerland |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |oclc=1003200383}}{{rp|page=71|pages=}}
= Economy =
SNS is economically neoliberal,{{rp|page=138|pages=}}{{cite journal |last=Piletić |first=Aleksandra |date=15 February 2021 |title=The role of the urban scale in anchoring authoritarian neoliberalism: a look at post-2012 neoliberalization in Belgrade, Serbia |journal=Globalizations |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=285–300 |doi=10.1080/14747731.2021.1882817 |doi-access=free}}{{cite journal |date=6 July 2016 |title=Decoding the authoritarian code: exercising 'legitimate' power politics through the ruling parties in Turkey, Macedonia and Serbia |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14683857.2016.1242872?scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=fbss20 |journal=Southeast European and Black Sea Studies |language=en |publisher=Taylor & Francis Online |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=529–549 |doi=10.1080/14683857.2016.1242872 |editor=Cengiz Günay and Vedran Džihić |s2cid=157397873}}{{Cite news |last=Mitrović |first=Nemanja |date=1 December 2023 |title=Utiče li ideologija na birače i njihov izbor |language=sr |trans-title=Does ideology influence voters and their choice |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/svet-67488255 |access-date=1 December 2023}} and it advocates for austerity, market economy reforms, privatisation, reduced spending, and liberalisation of labour laws.{{Cite book |last=Stratulat |first=Corina |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/183389/pub_4716_eu_integration_and_party_politics_in_the_balkans.pdf |title=EU integration and party politics in the Balkans |publisher=European Policy Centre |year=2014 |pages=56 |issn=1782-494X}} Stojiljković and Spasojević noted that SNS already displayed their neoliberal position during the 2012 election period, and that SNS campaigned on significantly reducing subsidies, but also the number of MPs, ministries, agencies, institutes, and the state administration.{{rp|page=115|pages=}} Additionally, Stojiljković described its position as "neoliberal populist".{{Cite web |last=Milanović Hrašovec |first=Ivana |date=14 March 2018 |title=Razorna kombinacija neoliberalizma i klijentelizma |trans-title=A devastating combination of neoliberalism and clientelism |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/razorna-kombinacija-neoliberalizma-i-klijentelizma/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}} While in power, SNS has introduced a law that reformed wages and pensions, which received controversy as wages and pensions were reduced by this law.{{Cite news |date=22 October 2018 |title=Deset godina SNS: Šta treba da znate u 100 i 500 reči |language=sr |trans-title=Ten years of SNS: What you need to know in 100 and 500 words |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-45941609 |access-date=27 May 2023}} It has also reformed the labour law, introduced a lex specialis for Belgrade Waterfront, and reformed the law on financial assistance to families and organ donations.
= Media and civil liberties =
SNS has enacted centralisation policies, especially in Vojvodina.{{Cite book |last=Biserko |first=Sonja |url=https://www.helsinki.org.rs/serbian/doc/izvestaj2014.pdf |title=Politička kultura protiv evropeizacije |publisher=Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji |year=2015 |location=Belgrade |language=sr |trans-title=Political culture against Europeanisation}}{{rp|page=14|pages=}} Since coming to power in 2012, observers have assessed that Serbia has suffered from democratic backsliding into authoritarianism,{{cite journal |last1=Bieber |first1=Florian |author-link=Florian Bieber |date=July 2018 |title=Patterns of competitive authoritarianism in the Western Balkans |journal=East European Politics |volume=38 |issue=3 |pages=337–54 |doi=10.1080/21599165.2018.1490272 |doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal |last=Castaldo |first=Antonino |date=25 November 2020 |title=Back to Competitive Authoritarianism? Democratic Backsliding in Vučić's Serbia |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09668136.2020.1817860 |journal=Europe-Asia Studies |language=en |volume=72 |issue=10 |pages=1617–1638 |doi=10.1080/09668136.2020.1817860 |issn=0966-8136 |hdl=10451/44515 |s2cid=225172203|hdl-access=free }} followed by a decline in media freedom and civil liberties.{{cite journal |last1=Maerz |first1=Seraphine F |display-authors=etal |date=April 2020 |title=State of the world 2019: autocratization surges – resistance grows |journal=Democratization |volume=27 |issue=6 |pages=909–927 |doi=10.1080/13510347.2020.1758670 |doi-access=free}}{{cite journal |last1=Castaldo |first1=Antonino |last2=Pinna |first2=Alessandra |year=2017 |title=De-Europeanization in the Balkans. Media freedom in post-Milošević Serbia |journal=European Politics and Society |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=264–281 |doi=10.1080/23745118.2017.1419599 |hdl-access=free |hdl=10451/30737 |s2cid=159002076}} A research that was conducted by Cenzolovka in 2015 noted that SNS used media outlets to further their influence.{{Cite web |date=26 January 2015 |title=War of Words: EU vs. Serbia |url=https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2015/01/26/war-of-words-eu-vs-serbia/ |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=European Western Balkans |language=en-US}} Additionally, SNS was accused of paying internet trolls to praise the government and condemn those who think the opposite on internet forums and social networks.{{Cite web |last=Rujević |first=Nemanja |date=5 January 2017 |title=Serbian government trolls in the battle for the internet |url=https://www.dw.com/en/serbian-government-trolls-in-the-battle-for-the-internet/a-37026533 |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=en-GB}} In 2020, Twitter suspended 8,558 accounts that promoted SNS and Vučić, whilst criticising the opposition.{{Cite web |date=2 April 2020 |title=Tviter izbrisao više od 8.500 "bot" naloga koji su promovisali Vučića i SNS |trans-title=Twitter deletes more than 8,500 "bot" accounts that promoted Vučić and SNS |url=https://www.danas.rs/zivot/tehnologije/tviter-izbrisao-vise-od-8-500-bot-naloga-koji-su-promovisali-vucica-i-sns/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=2 April 2020 |title=Twitter deletes 20,000 fake accounts linked to Saudi, Serbian and Egyptian governments |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/02/twitter-accounts-deleted-linked-saudi-arabia-serbia-egypt-governments |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} Meta suspended 5,374 accounts and 12 Facebook groups that were connected to SNS in the fourth quarter of 2022, stating that the "SNS network functioned differently than traditional troll networks".{{Cite web |last=Vulović |first=Neda |date=25 February 2023 |title=Meta: SNS potrošio 150 hiljada dolara na Fejsbuku i Instagramu |trans-title=Meta: SNS spent 150 thousand dollars on Facebook and Instagram |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/meta-sns-potrosio-150-hiljada-dolara-na-fejsbuku-i-instagramu/ |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Additionally, Meta revealed that SNS spent over USD$ 150,000 on advertising on Facebook and Instagram. In July 2023, 14,310 Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts that praised the SNS, Vučić, and the government and criticised the opposition were leaked to the public, including their full names and places of origins.{{Cite web |last=Đošić |first=Miloš |date=9 July 2023 |title=Spisak botova osvanuo na internetu: Niko od naprednjaka se do sada nije oglasio |trans-title=The list of bots has surfaced on the Internet: None of the Progressives have announced themselves so far |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/spisak-botova-osvanuo-na-internetu-niko-od-naprednjaka-se-do-sada-nije-oglasio/ |access-date=9 July 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=7 July 2023 |title=Na internetu objavljen spisak SNS botova, a na njemu zaposleni u kabinetu gradonačelnika Leskovca, direktori i šefovi gradskih službi |trans-title=A list of SNS bots has been published on the Internet and it includes employees in the office of the mayor of Leskovac, directors and heads of city services |url=https://resetka.rs/na-internetu-objavljen-spisak-sns-botova-a-na-njemu-zaposleni-u-kabinetu-gradonacelnika-leskovca-direktori-i-sefovi-gradskih-sluzbi/ |access-date=9 July 2023 |website=Rešetka |language=sr}} In response, member of parliament Nebojša Bakarec started a campaign named "Yes, I am a bot",{{Cite web |date=11 July 2023 |title=Bakarec pokrenuo kampanju "Da, ja sam bot" – odgovor na spisak botova SNS |trans-title=Bakarces launches the campaign "Yes, I am a bot" - a response to the list of SNS bots |url=https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/bakarec-pokrenuo-kampanju-da-ja-sam-bot-odgovor-na-spisak-botova-sns/ |access-date=11 July 2023 |website=NOVA portal |language=sr}} with Vučić later uploading a photo on Instagram titled "Yes, I am too a SNS bot".{{Cite web |date=11 July 2023 |title=Vučić podelio: Da, i ja sam SNS bot |trans-title=Vučić shares: Yes, I am too a SNS bot |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/vucic-podelio-da-i-ja-sam-sns-bot/ |access-date=11 July 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=11 July 2023 |title=I ja sam bot SNS: Vučić na spisak botova reagovao fotografijom ljudi koji ne postoje |trans-title=I am too a SNS bot: Vučić reacts to the list of bots with a photo of people who do not exist |url=https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/i-ja-sam-bot-sns-vucic-na-spisak-botova-reagovao-s-fotografijom-ljudi-koji-ne-postoje/ |access-date=11 July 2023 |website=NOVA portal |language=sr}}
In 2021, the V-Dem Institute categorised Serbia as an electoral autocracy; the institute also stated that the standards of judiciary and electoral integrity had declined in the past ten years.{{Cite book |last=Lindberg |first=Staffan |url=https://www.v-dem.net/documents/12/dr_2021.pdf |title=Autocratization Turns Viral: Democracy Report 2021 |publisher=V-Dem Institute |year=2021 |location=Gothenburg}}{{rp|page=12, 19|pages=}} According to the Freedom House's report from 2022, SNS has "eroded political rights and civil liberties, put pressure on independent media, the political opposition, and civil society organisations".{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=Serbia |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/serbia/freedom-world/2022 |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Freedom House |language=en}} Additionally, it reported that internet portals close to the government that "manipulate facts and slander independent media" continued to receive public funds on state and local levels.{{Cite web |last=Diković |first=Jelena |date=23 September 2021 |title=Aleksandar Vučić i SNS već deset godina ugrožavaju demokratiju i ljudska prava u Srbiji |trans-title=Aleksandar Vučić and SNS have been threatening democracy and human rights in Serbia for ten years |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/drustvo/aleksandar-vucic-i-sns-vec-deset-godina-ugrozavaju-demokratiju-i-ljudska-prava-u-srbiji/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Danas |language=sr}} As a response, Vučić and Brnabić criticised Freedom House's report.{{Cite web |last=Nešić |first=Nenad |date=21 April 2022 |title=Umesto kao upozorenje, Vučić izveštaj Fridom hausa doživljava - neozbiljnim |trans-title=Instead of a warning, Vučić perceives the Freedom House report as frivolous |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/umesto-kao-upozorenje-vucic-izvestaj-fridom-hausa-dozivljava-neozbiljnim/ |access-date=15 October 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=20 April 2022 |title=Brnabić: Sraman izveštaj Fridom hausa |trans-title=Brnabić: Shameful report of Freedom House |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/brnabic-sraman-izvestaj-fridom-hausa/ |access-date=15 October 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
= Foreign policies =
Journalists have described SNS as pro-European.{{Cite news |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=24 April 2016 |title=Ruling Progressive party claims Serbia election victory |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/78f37810-0a1e-11e6-b0f1-61f222853ff3 |access-date=28 September 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Andrić |first=Gordana |date=14 November 2014 |title=Seselj Homecoming Promises to Shake Up Serbia |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2014/11/14/seselj-return-promises-to-shake-up-serbia/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} SNS advocates for close economic and political ties, as well as accession of Serbia to the European Union, alongside "productive ties" with Russia.{{cite news |last1=Beckmann-Dierkes |first1=Norbert |last2=Rankić |first2=Slađan |date=13 May 2022 |title=Parlamentswahlen in Serbien 2022 |language=de |trans-title=2022 parliamentary election in Serbia |page=2 |work=Konrad Adenauer Foundation |url=https://www.kas.de/documents/252038/16191335/Parlamentswahlen+in+Serbien+2022.pdf/9f87437e-7c29-3460-6039-99acb2b1a9aa?version=1.0&t=1652457721083 |access-date=27 December 2022}}{{Cite journal |last=Konitzer |first=Andrew |date=2011 |title=Serbia between East and West |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/ruhi/38/1/article-p103_7.xml?language=en |journal=Russian History |volume= 38|issue= |pages=107 |doi=10.1163/187633111X549623 |issn=1876-3316 |via=Brill}} Biserko stated that its support for European Union is rather a "declarative support", and not a substantial one.{{rp|page=614|pages=}} Stojić described SNS as "soft Euroenthusiast".{{rp|page=232|pages=}} Additionally, Vladimir Goati, a political scientist, described the position of SNS towards the European Union rather as pragmatic, than ideological,{{Cite book |last=Goati |first=Vladimir |url=https://plus.cobiss.net/cobiss/sr/sr/bib/198636812 |title=Izbori u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori od 1990. do 2013. i u SRJ od 1992. do 2003. |publisher=CeSID |year=2013 |isbn=978-86-83491-53-7 |location=Belgrade |pages=93 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections in Serbia and Montenegro from 1990 to 2013 and in the FRY from 1992 to 2003}} while economic anthropologist Jovana Diković described SNS as "euro-pragmatic".{{Cite book |last=Diković |first=Jovana |url=https://www.readcube.com/articles/10.2298%2Fgei1202025d |title=U tradiciji ideja: evroskepticizam u Srbiji - diskurs antizapadnjaštva? |publisher=Etnografski institut |year=2012 |location=Belgrade |pages=29 |language=sr |trans-title=In the tradition of ideas: Euroscepticism in Serbia - a discourse of anti-Westernism? |doi=10.2298/GEI1202025D}}
In a 2014 report, Freedom House noted that the SNS-led government advanced Serbia's efforts regarding the European Union.{{rp|page=544|pages=}} Dragan Đukanović, a Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences professor, noted that SNS received support from the U.S. and European Union due to its pro-European agenda.{{Cite book |last=Đukanović |first=Dragan |url=https://www.diplomacy.bg.ac.rs/pdf/medj_politika/2015/Medjunarodna_politika_br._1158-1159_2015.pdf |title=Međunarodna politika |publisher=Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu |year=2015 |location=Belgrade |pages=121 |language=sr |trans-title=International politics |chapter=Spoljnopolitičko pozicioniranje Srbije (SRJ/SCG) od 1992. do 1995. godine |trans-chapter=Foreign policy positioning of Serbia (FRY/SCG) from 1992 to 1995 |issn=0543-3657}} Sonja Biserko, a human rights activist, argued in 2013 that SNS declaratively adopted the agenda of DS and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) regarding the views on the European Union.{{Cite book |last=Biserko |first=Sonja |url=https://www.helsinki.org.rs/serbian/doc/izvestaj2013.pdf |title=Ljudska prava u Srbiji: iskonski otpor liberalnim vrednostima |publisher=Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji |year=2013 |location=Belgrade |pages=31 |language=sr |trans-title=Human rights in Serbia: primordial resistance to liberal values}} Jacobin, an American socialist magazine, described SNS as a fusion of "a nationalist, pro-Russian wing and a modernizing, pro-European wing", while describing Nikolić as being represented in the pro-Russian wing, and Vučić in the pro-European wing, although that both wings agree on neoliberal austerity.{{Cite web |last=Ilić |first=Pavle |date=16 April 2017 |title=The Serbian Left's Next Move |url=https://jacobin.com/2017/04/serbia-vucic-progressive-party-protests/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |website=Jacobin |language=en-US}}
A European Parliament-published study noted that the SNS-led government continued the "four-pillar policy", a policy that seeks cooperation with European Union, United States, Russia, and China, which was introduced by Boris Tadić, the former president of Serbia and leader of DS.{{Cite book |last1=Hartwell |first1=Christopher |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/133504/Serbia%20cooperation%20with%20China,%20the%20EU,%20Russia%20and%20the%20USA.pdf |title=Serbia's cooperation with China, the European Union, Russia and the United States of America |last2=Sidlo |first2=Katarzyna |publisher=European Parliament |year=2017 |isbn=978-92-846-2211-5 |location=Brussels |pages=11}} During the 2015 European migrant crisis, the SNS-led government did not impose any restrictions on migrants while crossing into the European Union,{{Cite web |last=Macdowall |first=Andrew |date=18 September 2015 |title=Wait, the Serbs are now the good guys? |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-croatia-hungary-orban-migrants-schengen-crisis/ |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Politico |language=en-US}} which author Vedran Džihić as a pragmatic move.{{Cite web |last=Džihić |first=Vedran |date=7 September 2020 |title=Serbia Must Choose Soon Between Despotism and Rational State |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2020/09/07/serbia-must-choose-soon-between-despotism-and-rational-state/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} Stojić described the move as "populist-Euroenthusiastic".{{rp|page=250|pages=}} SNS supports military neutrality and it opposes joining NATO, although Serbia has continued militarily cooperating with NATO.{{Cite book |last=Kisić |first=Izabela |url=https://www.bundesheer.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/transitional_justice_sr_11_2013_05_i_kisic.pdf |title=The Core Elements at the First Level - Truth, Reconciliation and Compensation |publisher=Austrian Armed Forces Press |year=2013 |pages=84}}{{Cite web |last=Šunter |first=Daniel |date=7 July 2021 |title=Saradnja koja se prećutkuje |trans-title=Cooperation that is kept silent |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/saradnja-koja-se-precutkuje/ |access-date=28 November 2022 |website=Vreme |language=sr}}
Following the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government of Serbia led by SNS has condemned the invasion but has not implemented sanctions on Russia.{{Cite web |last1=Beckmann-Dierkes |first1=Norbert |last2=Rankić |first2=Slađan |date=July 2022 |title=Serbian Foreign Policy in the Wake of the War in Ukraine |url=https://www.kas.de/documents/252038/16191335/Serbian+Foreign+Policy+in+the+Wake+of+the+War+in+Ukraine.pdf/30d4a7d9-a80a-9f8b-9ff2-999425df715a?version=1.0&t=1659099133262 |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=Konrad Adenauer Foundation |pages=1–2}}{{Cite web |last=Zawadewicz |first=Bogdan |date=27 February 2023 |title=Closer to the West? Serbia's foreign policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine |url=https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary/2023-02-27/closer-to-west-serbias-foreign-policy-after-russian-invasion |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=OSW Centre for Eastern Studies |language=en}} In the United Nations, Serbia voted in favour of resolutions that condemned the invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite web |date=2 March 2022 |title=Serbia votes 'yes' to UN's resolution condemning Russian attack, West welcomes |url=https://n1info.rs/english/news/serbia-votes-yes-to-uns-resolution-condemning-russian-attack-west-welocomes/ |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}{{Cite news |last=Stojanović |first=Milica |date=13 October 2022 |title=Serbia Backs UN Resolution Against Russian Annexations in Ukraine |work=Balkan Insight |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/10/13/serbia-backs-un-resolution-against-russian-annexations-in-ukraine/ |access-date=11 August 2023}} Nikola Selaković of SNS has also said that Serbia would not recognise the 2022 annexation referendums in Russian-occupied Ukraine.{{Cite news |date=26 September 2022 |title=Balkan Ally Serbia Says It Won't Recognize Russia's Staged Votes In Occupied Ukraine |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-ukraine-referendums-russia-belgrade/32051994.html |access-date=11 August 2023}} Vučić has also criticised the Wagner Group and has described Ukraine as Serbia's friend.{{Cite web |date=17 January 2023 |title=Serbia slams Russia's Wagner group for Ukraine recruitment bid |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/17/serbia-slams-russias-wagner-group-for-ukraine-recruitment-bid |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=10 August 2023 |title=Predsednik: Ukrajina prijatelj Srbije, ne vidim nijedan problem u odnosima |trans-title=President: Ukraine is Serbia's friend, I do not see any problems in our relations |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/predsednik-ukrajina-prijatelj-srbije-ne-vidim-nijedan-problem-u-odnosima/ |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
= Demographic characteristics =
Political scientist Slaviša Orlović noted in 2011 that supporters of SNS tended to be the unemployed, pensioners, and housewives.{{Cite book |last=Orlović |first=Slaviša |oclc=785849369 |title=Partije i izbori u Srbiji: 20 godina |publisher=Friedrich Ebert Foundation |year=2011 |isbn=978-86-84031-49-7 |location=Belgrade |pages=35 |language=sr |trans-title=Parties and elections in Serbia: 20 years}} According to the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) in 2012, a majority of SNS supporters were male, primary or high school educated, workers', technicians, and dependents, while they had a widespread age structure.{{Cite book |last=Vuković |first=Đorđe |url=http://www.cesid.rs/pdfovi/Oko%20izbora%2018.pdf |title=Oko izbora 18 |publisher=CeSID |year=2012 |isbn=978-86-83491-52-0 |location=Belgrade |language=sr |trans-title=Around the elections 18 |access-date=6 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923145813/http://www.cesid.rs/pdfovi/Oko%20izbora%2018.pdf |archive-date=23 September 2021 |url-status=live}}{{Rp|pages=84–87}} In 2014, CeSID reported that its voting base now mostly consisted of people over age of 50, while ideologically speaking, they did not possess any dominant value determination.{{Cite book |last=Klačar |first=Bojan |url=http://www.cesid.rs/pdfovi/Oko%20izbora%2019.pdf |title=Oko izbora 19 |publisher=CeSID |year=2014 |isbn=978-86-83491-55-1 |location=Belgrade |pages= |language=sr |trans-title=Around the elections 19 |access-date=25 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120134438/http://www.cesid.rs/pdfovi/Oko%20izbora%2019.pdf |archive-date=20 January 2022 |url-status=live}}{{Rp|page=|pages=104–106}} According to a 2016 opinion poll conducted by Nova srpska politička misao, most of its supporters were over 60 years old, while only 12% of its supporters were highly educated.{{Cite web |last=Vukadinović |first=Đorđe |date=24 February 2016 |title=Srbija pred izborima |trans-title=Serbia before the elections |url=https://www.vreme.com/vreme/srbija-pred-izborima/ |access-date=9 February 2023 |website=Vreme |language=sr}}
Organisation
SNS has a presidency which acts as the operational and political body of the party; it is composed of 30 members.{{Cite web |date=1 February 2013 |title=Predsedništvo |trans-title=Presidency |url=https://sns.org.rs/lat/o-nama/predsednistvo |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Serbian Progressive Party |language=sr}} It also has a main board and an executive board.{{Cite web |date=1 February 2013 |title=Glavni odbor |trans-title=Main Board |url=https://sns.org.rs/lat/o-nama/glavni-odbor |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Serbian Progressive Party |language=sr}}{{Cite web |date=1 February 2013 |title=Izvršni odbor |trans-title=Executive Board |url=https://sns.org.rs/lat/o-nama/izvrsni-odbor |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Serbian Progressive Party |language=sr}} The current president of SNS is Miloš Vučević, who was elected in 2023; Jorgovanka Tabaković is the deputy president. Aleksandar Šapić, Ana Brnabić, Marko Đurić, Nevena Đurić, Irena Vujović, Siniša Mali, and Vladimir Orlić are the current vice-presidents of SNS; all of them were elected in 2021 and re-elected in 2023, except Vujović, who was not elected in 2021.{{Cite web |date=13 October 2023 |title=Srpska napredna stranka izabrala novo rukovodstvo uoči izbora |trans-title=The Serbian Progressive Party elects new leadership ahead of the elections |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/srpska-napredna-stranka-izabrala-novo-rukovodstvo-uoci-izbora/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=N1 |language=sr}} Milenko Jovanov has been the head of the SNS parliamentary group since 2022, while Darko Glišić is the president of the party's executive board.{{Cite web |title=Darko Glišić |url=https://www.istinomer.rs/akter/darko-glisic/ |access-date=22 May 2023 |website=Istinomer |language=sr}}
The headquarters of SNS is located at Palmira Toljatija 5/3 in Belgrade.{{Cite web |date=31 August 2022 |title=Izvod iz registra političkih stranaka |trans-title=Extract from the register of political parties |url=http://mduls.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/Izvod-iz-Registra-politickih-stranaka-31.08.2022..pdf |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government |page=7 |language=sr}} SNS publishes SNS Informator, the party's newspaper.{{Cite web |title=SNS Informator |url=https://www.sns.org.rs/lat/press-centar/informator |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Serbian Progressive Party |language=sr}} It also has a youth and women's wing.{{Cite web |date=15 February 2013 |title=Unija mladih Srpske napredne stranke |trans-title=Youth Union of the Serbian Progressive Party |url=https://www.sns.org.rs/lat/o-nama/unija-mladih-srpske-napredne-stranke |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Serbian Progressive Party |language=sr}}{{Cite web |last=Mitrović |first=Igor |date=1 March 2016 |title=Unija žena SNS uručila pomoć deci sa smetnjama u razvoju |trans-title=The SNS Women Union handed over aid to children with developmental disabilities |url=https://www.bor030.net/unija-zena-sns-urucila-pomoc-deci-sa-smetnjama-u-razvoju |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Bor030 |language=sr}} SNS also operates the {{Ill|For the Serbian People and State Foundation|sr|Фондација „За српски народ и државу”}}, which it formed in 2019.{{Cite web |date=4 November 2019 |title=SNS osnovala fondaciju "Za srpski narod i državu" |trans-title=SNS forms the foundation "For the Serbian People and the State" |url=https://www.istinomer.rs/analize/sns-osnovala-fondaciju-za-srpski-narod-i-drzavu/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Istinomer |language=sr}} SNS has received most of its support because of Vučić;{{rp|page=29|pages=}} an opinion poll conducted by Faktor Plus in December 2014 noted that 80% of SNS voters would not vote for SNS if someone else than Vučić was the head of the party.{{Cite web |date=20 December 2014 |title=SNS bi, bez Vučića, imao 80 odsto manje glasova |trans-title=SNS, without Vučić, would have 80 percent fewer votes |url=https://www.vijesti.me/svijet/balkan/203652/sns-bi-bez-vucica-imao-80-odsto-manje-glasova |access-date=19 September 2022 |website=Vijesti |language=sr}} With at least 800,000 members as of 2020, SNS is the largest political party in Europe by membership as of 2019.{{Cite web |date=14 December 2019 |title=Istraživanje: SNS najveća partija u Evropi; član svaki deseti stanovnik Srbije |trans-title=Research: SNS the largest party in Europe; every tenth resident of Serbia is a SNS member |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2019&mm=12&dd=24&nav_category=11&nav_id=1634591 |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} N1 reported in 2024 that SNS had 700,000 members.{{Cite web |date=28 June 2024 |title=St. Protić: Više ima intelektualne težine u Proglasu, gde ih je 14, nego u 700.000 članova SNS |trans-title=St. Protić: There is more intellectual weight in ProGlas, where there are 14 of them, than in the 700,000 members of SNS |url=https://n1info.rs/vesti/st-protic-vise-ima-intelektualne-tezine-u-proglasu-gde-ih-je-14-nego-u-700-000-clanova-sns/ |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=N1 |language=sr}}
Petronijević Terzić has stated in 2023 that SNS has used local self-government bodies for party purposes and funds of local public companies for party gatherings, rallies, and promotions. Transparency Serbia has also reported that during the 2016 parliamentary election campaign period SNS has used official events, such as the opening of private factories, to spread their election messages.{{Cite web |last1=Minić |first1=Zlatko |last2=Nenadić |first2=Nemanja |date=2017 |title=Funkcionerska kampanja kao vid zloupotrebe javnih resursa: opis problema i moguća rešenja |trans-title=Official campaign as a form of abuse of public resources: description of the problem and possible solutions |url=https://www.transparentnost.org.rs/images/dokumenti_uz_vesti/funkcionerska-kampanja-policy-paper-final.pdf |access-date=29 July 2023 |website=Transparency Serbia |place=Belgrade |page=30 |language=sr}}
= International cooperation =
In 2011, SNS signed a cooperation agreement with the Freedom Party of Austria.{{Cite web |date=24 June 2011 |title=S kim je SNS bliska u Evropi? |trans-title=Who is SNS close with in Europe? |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=06&dd=24&nav_category=11&nav_id=521193 |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=B92 |language=sr}} SNS also cooperated with Fidesz, the ruling party of Hungary; Fidesz members attended an SNS rally in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Aleksandar Ivković |date=23 March 2020 |title=A year after suspending Fidesz, EPP still turning a blind eye to Serbian Progressive Party |url=https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2020/03/23/a-year-after-suspending-fidesz-epp-still-turning-a-blind-eye-to-serbian-progressive-party/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=European Western Balkans |language=en-US}} In 2014, it was reported that SNS had ties with the New Serb Democracy in Montenegro,{{Cite book |last1=Clark |first1=David |url=https://www.henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Russias-Role-in-the-Balkans.pdf |title=Russia's Role in the Balkans – Cause for Concern? |last2=Foxall |first2=Andrew |publisher=The Henry Jackson Society |year=2014 |location=London |pages=11}} while SNS officials also attended a Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) rally in 2015.{{Cite web |date=1 September 2020 |title=Selaković: Samo sa DPS možemo ljudima da vratimo osmeh |trans-title=Selaković: Only with DPS can we bring people's smiles back |url=https://direktno.rs/politika/298555/nikola-selakovic-dps-aleksandar-vucic-kongres.html |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Direktno |language=sr}} SNS has been accused of "practically running" the Serb List in Kosovo,{{Cite journal |last=Coleman |first=Christopher C. |date=2022 |title=Fragmented Societies and a Fragmenting International System: Implications |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/iner/27/1/article-p10_2.xml |journal=International Negotiation |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=32 |doi=10.1163/15718069-bja10044 |s2cid=240250423 |via=Brill}} while Vučić has been also accused of being "figure behind" the party.{{Cite web |last=Vasović |first=Milenko |date=16 October 2019 |title=Serbia's President Was Real Loser in Kosovo Election |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2019/10/16/serbias-president-was-real-loser-in-kosovo-election/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Scenario: Territorial exchange between Serbia and Kosovo and its potential impact on Serbian Communities South of the Ibar |url=http://www.ngoaktiv.org/uploads/documents/scenario-territorial-exchange-between-serbia-and-kosovo-and-it-s-repercussions-for-serbs-south-of-the-ibar.pdf |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Aktiv |page=8 |archive-date=26 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026123944/http://www.ngoaktiv.org/uploads/documents/scenario-territorial-exchange-between-serbia-and-kosovo-and-it-s-repercussions-for-serbs-south-of-the-ibar.pdf |url-status=dead }}
SNS representatives in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) joined the European People's Party (EPP) in 2013.{{Cite web |date=24 April 2013 |title=SNS becomes member of European People's Party |url=http://www.b92.net/eng/news/comments.php?nav_id=85864 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006184904/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/comments.php?nav_id=85864 |archive-date=6 October 2013 |access-date=28 April 2013 |website=B92 |publisher=}} In the same year, SNS received support from the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) due to the establishment of the Brussels Agreement.{{rp|page=38|pages=}} SNS has received support from the CDU in regards to membership in the EPP in 2015.{{Cite web |date=21 July 2015 |title=CDU podržava SNS u Evropskoj narodnoj partiji |trans-title=CDU supports the SNS in the European People's Party |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a78785-CDU-podrzava-SNS-u-Evropskoj-narodnoj-partiji/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} A year later, SNS and its youth wing became associate members of EPP.{{Cite book |last1=Jovanov |first1=Ivan |url=https://www.kas.de/documents/281657/281706/Belegexemplar+2020+Youth+Policies+in+the+WB+and+the+EU.pdf/50e8440f-9315-5226-976a-13d452d0e81b?version=1.0&t=1609249883224 |title=Youth Policies in the Western Balkans and the EU |last2=Stankovski |first2=Ilija |publisher=Konrad Adenauer Foundation |year=2020 |pages=50}}{{Cite book |last=Stojanović |first=Boban |url=https://connecting-youth.org/publications/publikim25.pdf |title=Alternativni izveštaj o položaju i potrebama mladih u Republici Srbiji |publisher=Krovna organizacija mladish Srbije |year=2017 |isbn=978-86-80578-02-6 |location=Belgrade |pages=65 |language=sr |trans-title=Alternative report on the position and needs of young people in the Republic of Serbia}} SNS officials attended CDU's congress in 2018.{{Cite web |date=8 December 2018 |title=Delegacija SNS na 31. kongresu CDU u Hamburgu |trans-title=SNS delegation at the 31st Congress of the CDU in Hamburg |url=https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/politika/aktuelno.289.html:764970-Delegacija-SNS-na-31-kongresu-CDU-u-Hamburgu |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Novosti |language=sr}} SNS became a member of the International Democracy Union in 2018.{{Cite web |date=21 February 2018 |title=SNS postala punopravna članica Međunarodne demokratske unije |trans-title=SNS became a full member of the International Democrat Union |url=https://rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/sns-postala-punopravna-clanica-medjunarodne-demokratske-unije_895197.html |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}} In the PACE, SNS was also affiliated with the Free Democrats Group; Dubravka Filipovski once served as its vice-chairperson.{{Cite web |title=Ms Dubravka Filipovski (Serbia, EPP/CD) |url=https://pace.coe.int/en/members/7629/filipovski |access-date=29 July 2023 |website=Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe}}
SNS took part in a meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials in 2019.{{Cite web |date=14 October 2019 |title=Sastanak zvaničnika SNS i Komunističke partije Kine |trans-title=Meeting of SNS and Communist Party of China officials |url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a534467-Sastanak-zvanicnika-SNS-i-Komunisticke-partije-Kine/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=N1 |language=sr}} At the meeting, the parties "pledged to forge ever-closer links".{{Cite web |last=Stojanović |first=Milica |date=14 October 2019 |title=Chinese and Serbian Ruling Parties Pledge 'All-Time' Friendship |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2019/10/14/chinese-and-serbian-ruling-parties-pledge-all-time-friendship/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}} SNS officials were also present in a 2021 summit that was organised by CCP, while in 2023 SNS described CCP as its inspiration.{{Cite web |date=6 July 2021 |title=Šapić: Učešće na samitu KP Kine velika čast za SNS |trans-title=Šapić: Participation in the summit of the Communist Party of China is a great honour for the SNS |url=https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/sapic-ucesce-na-samitu-kp-kine-velika-cast-za-sns/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=NOVA portal |language=sr}}{{Cite news |last=Bogdanović |first=Nevena |date=1 August 2023 |title=Naprednjaci iz Srbije po inspiraciju kod komunista Kine |language=sr |trans-title=Progressives from Serbia get inspiration from the Communists of China |work=Radio Free Europe |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/kina-naprednjaci-inspiracija/32529775.html |access-date=1 August 2023}} SNS established connections with United Russia (YeR) in 2010.{{Cite web |date=27 October 2010 |title=Jedinstvena Rusija i SNS potpisale sporazum o saradnji |trans-title=United Russia and SNS signed an agreement on cooperation |url=https://rtv.rs/sk/politika/jedinstvena-rusija-i-sns-potpisale-sporazum-o-saradnji_219466.html |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |language=sr}} Tomislav Nikolić was present at a YeR congress in 2011, while a year later, SNS officials were present at a YeR conference.{{Cite web |date=28 November 2011 |title=Nikolić na kongresu Jedinstvene Rusije |trans-title=Nikolić at the United Russia congress |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/998932/nikolic-na-kongresu-jedinstvene-rusije.html |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}{{Cite book |last=Blank |first=Stephen J. |url=https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1545&context=monographs |title=Perspectives on Russian Foreign Policy |publisher=U.S. Army War College Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-58487-536-9 |pages=80}} Since then, SNS and YeR have signed several cooperation agreements,{{Cite news |last=Mihajlović |first=Branka |date=28 June 2016 |title=Šta je SNS potpisao sa Putinovom strankom? |language=sr |trans-title=What did SNS sign with Putin's party? |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/sta-je-sns-potpisao-sa-putinovom-strankom/27825603.html |access-date=28 September 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Božić Krainčanić |first=Svetlana |date=3 December 2018 |title=Srpski saveznici Putinove politike |language=sr |trans-title=Serbian allies of Putin's politics |newspaper=Radio Slobodna Evropa |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/29634674.html |access-date=28 September 2022}} most recently being in 2021.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2021 |title=Moskva: Vučević i Klimov o saradnju SNS i Jedinstvene Rusije |trans-title=Moscow: Vučević and Klimov on cooperation between SNS and United Russia |url=http://www.tanjug.rs/full-view.aspx?izb=657921 |access-date=28 September 2022 |website=Tanjug |language=sr}}
= List of presidents =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| colspan="2"| {{No.}}
! colspan="2"| President ! Birth–Death ! Term start ! Term end |
|---|
| 1
! style="background:{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}"| | Tomislav Nikolić || File:Tomislav Nikolić, official portrait (cropped).jpg || 1952– || 21 October 2008 || 24 May 2012 |
| 2
! style="background:{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}"| | Aleksandar Vučić || File:Aleksandar Vučić 2019 (cropped).jpg || 1970– || 24 May 2012 || 27 May 2023 |
| 3
! style="background:{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}"| | Miloš Vučević || File:Miloš Vučević (53965807723).jpg || 1974– || 27 May 2023 || Incumbent |
== Timeline ==
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:16
PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:150 left:20
AlignBars = late
Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}
Colors =
id:gray1 value:gray(0.85)
id:gray2 value:gray(0.95)
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2008 till:$today
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:2010
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:2008
BarData =
bar:Nikolić
bar:Vučić
bar:Vučević
PlotData =
width:5 align:left fontsize:9 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
bar: Nikolić
from: 21/10/2008 till: 24/05/2012 color:darkblue text:"Tomislav Nikolić"
bar: Vučić
from: 24/05/2012 till: 27/05/2023 color:darkblue text:"Aleksandar Vučić"
bar: Vučević
from: 27/05/2023 till: $today color:darkblue text:"Miloš Vučević"
}}
Electoral performance
= Parliamentary elections =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Year
! Leader ! Popular vote ! % of popular vote ! {{No.}} ! # of seats ! Seat change ! Coalition ! Status ! {{Refh}} |
|---|
| 2012
| 940,659 | 25.16% | {{increase}} 1st | {{Composition bar|58|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 37 | PS | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2014
| rowspan="4"| Aleksandar Vučić | 1,736,920 | 49.96% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|128|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 70 | BKV | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2016
| 1,823,147 | 49.71% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|93|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{decrease}} 35 | SP | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2020
| 1,953,998 | 63.02% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|157|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 64 | ZND | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2022
| 1,635,101 | 44.27% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|95|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{decrease}} 62 | ZMS | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2023
| 1,783,701 | 48.07% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|105|250|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 10 | SNSDS | {{yes2|Government}} |
{{Graph:Chart|width=120|type=rect|colors=#242970
|xAxisTitle=Elections
|xAxisAngle=-40
|x=2012, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022, 2023
|yAxisTitle=% of popular vote
|y=25.16, 49.96, 49.71, 63.02, 44.27, 48.07
}}
ImageSize = width:550 height:70
PlotArea = width:500 height:50 left:20 bottom:20
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2008 till:31/12/2025
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2008
Legend = columns:2 left:40 top:75 columnwidth:90
- there is no automatic collision detection,
- so shift texts up or down manually to avoid overlap
Colors=
id:Government value:green legend:Government
id:Opposition value:red legend:Opposition
Define $dx = 25 # shift text to right side of bar
Define $dy = -1 # adjust height
PlotData=
bar:Govern. color:blue width:25 mark:(line,black) align:center
from:21/10/2008 till:27/07/2012 shift:($dx,$dy) color:Opposition
from:27/07/2012 till:end shift:($dx,$dy) color:Government
= Presidential elections =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Year ! Candidate ! colspan="2"| 1st round popular vote ! % of popular vote ! colspan="2"| 2nd round popular vote ! % of popular vote ! {{Refh}} |
| 2012
| {{no2|2nd}} | 979,216 | 26.22% | {{yes2|1st}} | 1,552,063 | 51.16% |
|---|
| 2017
| rowspan="2"| Aleksandar Vučić | {{yes2|1st}} | 2,012,788 | 56.01% | {{n/a}} | — | — |
| 2022
| {{yes2|1st}} | 2,224,914 | 60.01% | {{n/a}} | — | — |
= Provincial elections =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Year ! Leader ! Popular vote ! % of popular vote ! {{No.}} ! # of seats ! Seat change ! Coalition ! Status ! {{Refh}} |
| 2012
| rowspan="3" align="center" |Igor Mirović | 185,311 | 19.26% | {{increase}} 2nd | {{Composition bar|22|120|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 22 | PV | {{no2|Opposition}} |
|---|
| 2016
| 428,452 | 45.78% | {{increase}} 1st | {{Composition bar|63|120|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 41 | SP | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2020
| 498,495 | 61.58% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|65|120|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 2 | ZND | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2023
| 466,035 | 48.82% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|59|120|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{decrease}} 6 | VNSDS | {{yes2|Government}} |
{{Graph:Chart|width=120|type=rect|colors=#242970
|xAxisTitle=Elections
|xAxisAngle=-40
|x=2012, 2016, 2020, 2023
|yAxisTitle=% of popular vote
|y=19.26, 45.78, 61.58, 48.82
}}
ImageSize = width:550 height:70
PlotArea = width:500 height:50 left:20 bottom:20
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2008 till:31/12/2024
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2008
Legend = columns:2 left:40 top:75 columnwidth:90
- there is no automatic collision detection,
- so shift texts up or down manually to avoid overlap
Colors=
id:Government value:green legend:Government
id:Opposition value:red legend:Opposition
Define $dx = 25 # shift text to right side of bar
Define $dy = -1 # adjust height
PlotData=
bar:Govern. color:blue width:25 mark:(line,black) align:center
from:21/10/2008 till:20/06/2016 shift:($dx,$dy) color:Opposition
from:20/06/2016 till:end shift:($dx,$dy) color:Government
= Belgrade City Assembly elections =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Year ! Leader ! Popular vote ! % of popular vote ! {{No.}} ! # of seats ! Seat change ! Coalition ! Status ! {{Refh}} |
| 2012
| 219,198 | 26.83% | {{increase}} 2nd | {{Composition bar|37|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 37 | PS | {{no2|Opposition}} |
|---|
| 2014
| rowspan="3"| Aleksandar Vučić | 351,183 | 43.62% | {{increase}} 1st | {{Composition bar|63|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 26 | BKV | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2018
| 366,461 | 44.99% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|64|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 1 | ZSVB | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2022
| 348,345 | 38.83% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|36|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{decrease}} 28 | ZMS | {{yes2|Government}} |
| 2023
| rowspan="2"| Miloš Vučević | 367,239 | 39.93% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|40|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 4 | BNSDS | {{partial|Snap election}} |
| 2024
| 387,326 | 53.79% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|45|110|{{party color|Serbian Progressive Party}}}} | {{increase}} 5 | BS | {{yes2|Government}} |
{{Graph:Chart
| width = 120
| type = rect
| colors = #242970
| xAxisTitle = Elections
| xAxisAngle = -40
| x = 2012, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
| yAxisTitle = % of popular vote
| y = 26.83, 43.62, 44.99, 38.83, 39.93, 53.79
}}
ImageSize = width:600 height:70
PlotArea = width:500 height:50 left:20 bottom:20
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2008 till:31/12/2024
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2008
Legend = columns:3 left:40 top:75 columnwidth:90
Colors=
id:Government value:green legend:Government
id:Opposition value:red legend:Opposition
Define $dx = 25
Define $dy = -1
PlotData=
bar:Govern. color:blue width:25 mark:(line,black) align:center
from:21/10/2008 till:24/04/2014 shift:($dx,$dy) color:Opposition
from:24/04/2014 till:end shift:($dx,$dy) color:Government
References
{{reflist}}
= Primary sources =
In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):
{{reflist|group="‡"}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- {{Official website|sns.org.rs}}
{{Portal bar|Serbia|Politics}}
{{Serbian political parties}}
{{Serbian Progressive Party}}
{{European People's Party}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Serbian Progressive Party}}
Category:2008 establishments in Serbia
Category:International Democracy Union member parties