2017 Serbian Presidential Election Sunday April 02,2017

 

The 2017 Serbian Presidential Election is scheduled to be held on Sunday April 02,2017 with a possible second round on April 16,2017

This Election will be the 11th since the office of President was introduced in 1990.

Incumbent President Tomislav Nikolic is eligible to run for a 2nd 5- year term, but has opted not to do so

Presidential Candidates

Electoral Commission has confirmed 11 candidates

Conservative Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is runaway favourite to win Sunday’s Serbian presidential elections despite opposition warnings about the extent of his domination over the Balkan country, balanced between the West and Russia.

Most polls see Vucic, 47, winning in the first round with more than 50 percent of the vote, trailed in the low teens by a former rights advocate and a white-suited student whose satirical portrayal of a sleazy political fraudster has struck a chord with some disillusioned voters.

The role of president is largely ceremonial, but Vucic is expected to retain real power through his control of Serbia’s ruling Progressive Party. As such, the election is unlikely to alter the country’s delicate balancing act between the European Union, which Vucic wants Serbia to join, and Russia, with which Serbs share their Orthodox Christian faith and Slavic heritage.

Serbia elects Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic as president

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic(47) has won a clear victory in the country's presidential election.

He won about 55%, well above the threshold to avoid a run-off, with most results counted.

His closest challenger, Sasa Jankovic, polled 16%, while satirical candidate Ljubisa Preletacevic came third with 9% of the vote.

Mr Vucic is pro-EU, but is accused by his rivals of using the election to tighten his grip on power.

Declaring victory, Mr Vucic said the people had voted for his policy of joining the EU without turning away from traditional allies Russia and China.

"This shows in what direction Serbia wants to go. It has been important for this victory to be as clear as a tear drop to not allow anyone to make a random interpretation of the difference that has been made."

He became prime minister after his pro-EU nationalist Progressive Party won a landslide victory in early parliamentary elections in 2014