"The incumbent pro-European Union populists swept Serbia's parliamentary
election in a landslide Sunday, leaving pro-Russia nationalists far
behind, according to preliminary unofficial results. The triumph by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's Progressive Party means Serbia
will continue on its path toward EU membership despite opposition from
right-wing parties, which seek close ties with traditional Slavic ally Russia instead.(...)
The preliminary results released by the independent CESiD polling agency
show the Progressives winning 49 percent of the vote and their
Socialists coalition partner with 11 percent. Two ultra-nationalist
parties lagged far behind — the Radical Party with 8 percent and
DSS-Dveri with 5 percent. Three pro-Western opposition parties fragmented their support and were
each hovering around the 5 percent threshold needed to win seats in
parliament. (...)
Vucic called the election two years early, saying he needed a new
mandate to press ahead with tough reforms demanded by the EU at a time
Serbia is facing deep economic and social problems. But his opponents
said he really wanted to tighten his autocratic rule and win another
four-year mandate while he is still popular. (...)"
ABC
