SERBIA’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, has dissolved parliament and scheduled elections for December 17.
This decision came after the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, offered EU membership to Serbia under certain conditions.
The elections will choose members of the National Assembly, city mayors, and county heads.
This is unusual because Serbia’s last general election was in April 2022, with the next one due in 2026.
However, opposition parties demanded early elections due to a school shooting in May.
Vucic, who is in his second term as president, emphasized that the election winner will govern until 2027 and move Serbia forward.
His party, the Serbian Progressive Party or SNS, has dominated politics since 2012.
It can be noted that Vucic is facing criticism for from the political opposition over shooting incidents in May that claimed 18 lives.
They haven’t recognized Kosovo’s independence and haven’t joined EU sanctions against Russia.
EU membership requires recognizing Kosovo and aligning foreign policy with the EU, including sanctions against Russia.
This has sparked debates in Serbia about EU alignment.
More than 100 countries recognize Kosovo as a country, however, it has yet to achieve member status at the United Nations.
