Local elections on June 2 will be held in 88 cities and municipalities in Serbia, where elections were not held in December 2023. In municipalities and cities where councilors were voted for in December, SNS won.
In these elections, the progressives in almost all places come out in a wider coalition, similar to the repeated elections in Belgrade, which are held on the same day.
Several parties of the former opposition coalition Serbia against violence will participate in these elections as well. The Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) of Dragan Đilas will not participate in the city elections in Belgrade and Niš, but will in some of the 88 places. The situation is similar with the NADA coalition, led by the New Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), which, like the SSP, is boycotting the Belgrade elections.
Previous local elections in most places were held in 2020, under specific conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with parliamentary and provincial elections. Part of the opposition parties gathered around the then Alliance for Serbia - the Freedom and Justice Party, the Dveri movement and the People's Party - boycotted those elections due to, as they stated, "bad election conditions in which citizens do not have the opportunity to be informed and to vote freely and without pressure ". The SNS won a majority in almost all places then.
How is the local government elected?
200 to 3.000 signatures are required for the announcement of the electoral list at the local office, depending on the number of registered voters in that locality. Voters vote for one of the proposed lists of candidates for councilors of the local assembly, and elected councilors will decide on the presidents of municipalities.
Lists were compiled by political parties, coalitions, and citizen groups. On May 10, amendments and amendments to the Law on the Unified Voter List were adopted by the votes of the majority of MPs. Voters who changed their place of residence after July 3, 2023 they will not be able to vote at their new address in the upcoming local elections.
In front of you is the list of cities where voting will take place on June 2, as well as a detailed overview of the lists that are fighting for council seats in cities and municipalities.
Subotica
The political offer is modest in this multi-ethnic city in the north of the country.
Three options are fighting for 69 councilor seats: "Aleksandar Vučić - Subotica tomorrow", "Union of Vojvodina Hungarians - Dr. Balint Pastor" and the list "For a just Subotica! - Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina - Party of Justice and Reconciliation - Tomislav Žigmanov".
In this city, the progressives come out in a wider coalition. The list is led by Stevan Bakić, former mayor of Subotica and member of SNS.
"I thank my people from Subotica, whom I have said many times that they are extremely responsible and politically educated. I have no doubt that on June 2nd they will know how to choose what brings a better tomorrow to our city.
"I promise that we will jointly work even harder on the development and progress of our city, and we have proven that in the previous period," said Bakić.
Unlike the Belgrade elections, where they are in a coalition with SNS, the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians in Subotica is running independently under number two, and Balint Pastor, the president of the Alliance and former president of the Subotica City Assembly, is on the first place of the list.
First place on the list "For righteous Subotica! - Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina - Party of Justice and Reconciliation - Tomislav Žigmanov" went to 28-year-old Marin Piuković, president of the youth of DSHV, headed by Tomislav Žigmanov, who was elected for the second time as the Minister for Human and Minority Rights and social dialogue.
According to the latest breakdown of the Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government from April 23, 125.325 people have the right to vote in Subotica. According to the last census, 165.381 people live in this city.
shadow
Neighbors 55 kilometers away also go to the polls. The electoral offer for slightly more than 70.000 voters is for a richer list.
Lists "Aleksandar Vučić - Subotica tomorrow", "Union of Vojvodina Hungarians - Dr. Balint Pastor", For righteous Sombor! - Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina - Party of Justice and Reconciliation - Tomislav Žigmanov" and "Civil Front - Stop the Madness" compete for 61 council seats.
Zrenjanin
Five lists are fighting for 67 council seats, in a city with slightly more than 100.000 inhabitants that has not had clean drinking water for years, and about 99.500 voters have the right to vote.
The broader coalition gathered around the progressives is also first in Zrenjanin on the ballot, led by the current mayor Simo Salapura.
Jožef Stojko, president of the city committee of the Union of Vojvodina Hungarians in Zrenjanin, heads the list of this party, which is number two.
A big surprise in the elections in December 2023 was the list of doctor Branimir Nestorović, which in the meantime split into two factions, and Nestorović formed the movement "We - the strength of the people - prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorović". Under that name, they also perform in Zrenjanin, and the first of the 30 candidates for councilors is Julijana Marić.
The fourth position went to the list "Both water and freedom - the united opposition of Zrenjanin". Dragan Đilas' Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) and the New Democratic Party of Serbia (NDSS) are part of this opposition bloc. The first on the list is the vice president of NDSS and MP Zorano Sandić, and the second is Sonja Perat, a management engineer.
The City Election Commission announced the list "Zrenjanin against violence - We choose Zrenjanin".
The candidates of this seven-member alliance (Democratic Party, Zajedno, Green-Left Front, League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina-Vojvodina, People's Movement of Serbia - Miroslav Aleksić, New Face of Serbia - Miloš Parandilović, Serbia Center - Zdravko Ponoš) brought signatures to support the electoral list in balloons for water.
Kikinda
There is a similar offer in the town of Kikinda in Vojvodina, with a little more than 50.000 inhabitants. 46.810 voters have the right to vote, and five lists are competing for 39 councilor seats.
The first on the ballot is SNS with coalition partners, led by Nikola Lukač, the current mayor. Most of the candidates for councilors are doctors, economists and engineers.
The Union of Vojvodina Hungarians is number two in this city as well. The list is led by Zoltan Tot, former president of the Local Community of the Kikinda settlement of Sayan.
The list "Choose change - United opposition of Kikinda - Mirko Šoć" is third, while in fourth position is another coalition block "I choose the fight! I choose Kikinda!" which consists of the Democratic Party, the Green-Left Front and the Movement of Free Citizens.
The electoral offer closes with a list of 15 candidates "Kikinda against violence - Milorad Miki Aleksić".
Vrsac
More than 44.000 people have the right to vote in the upcoming local elections in this city. Only three options are fighting for a seat in the local parliament.
The list around the coalition of progressives "Aleksandar Vučić - Vršac Sutra" is led by Dragana Mirković, the former mayor and one of the few women in this position.
The woman's name is also at the head of the broader coalition "Vršac deserves better", which consists of the Democratic Party, the New Democratic Party of Serbia, the People's Movement of Serbia, the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina-Vojvodina and the Movement for the Reconstruction of the Kingdom of Serbia.
The political offer is closed by the "Group of Citizens - Biram Vršac" led by Uroš Rošić, a retired police chief.
Pancevo
And the residents of this town, 20 kilometers from Belgrade, go to the polls on June 2.
The coalition around the ruling SNS, "Aleksandar Vučić - Pančevo sutra" is also in first place here, and the list is led by the current mayor, Aleksandar Stevanović.
115.779 voters have the right to vote, and four other lists are competing for 70 councilor seats.
In second place is the Union of Vojvodina Hungarians, the third is the opposition bloc "Pančevo against violence - I choose the fight" which consists of the People's Movement of Serbia, the Democratic Party, the Green-Left Front, the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina - Vojvodina, and the Movement of Free Citizens. The fourth position is occupied by the list "Pančevo - Fight against violence", while the electoral offer is concluded by "Group Pančevo - Your Neighbors".
Sremska Mitrovica
There are six political options on the ballot of the residents of this town 50 kilometers from Novi Sad.
Progressives with coalition partners are in first place, led by Branislav Nedimović, former Minister of Agriculture and former mayor of Sremska Mitrovica. He has been a member of the SNS Presidency since 2016, and was previously a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Serbia.
"City for us - Vladimir Petković", "Sremska Mitrovica against violence - Đorđo Đorđić - Tatjana Ljubišić - Danijel Đetojević", "Evropska Mitrovica", "Dr. Savo Manojlović - I am Mitrovica - Go" are fighting for 61 seats in the local parliament. - change Mlada Mitrovica", while "Hope for Mitrovica" closes the circle.
Valjevo
Seven lists are participating in the local elections in this city in the west of Serbia.
The coalition around the SNS is number one and is led by the former first man of the city - Lazar Gojković.
"Russian Party - Russia and Valjevo in the heart - Milija Nestorović", "Svanuće - United Valjevo Može", "European Green Party - Ecology, green Valjevo - lifestyle" and "Movement USA Dr. Snežana Mijatović, Đorđe Pavlović-Drugacije", "WE ARE LATE!" (People's Party - Mirjana Jugović, Serbian Door Movement - Stanko Ranković)
The electoral bid is closed by "United Patriotic Opposition Valjevo - for the king and the fatherland, prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorović".
Pozarevac
In the hometown of Slobodan Milošević, former Yugoslav and Serbian president and leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia, seven lists are competing for a seat in the local parliament.
At the top of the ballot is the "Vlach Party - Ljiljana Ugrinović", led by this pensioner.
Progressives are number two, coming out as in most cities, in a wider coalition.
More than 57.000 people will be able to vote for one of the newspapers: "Group of Citizens Iskorak", I Choose the Fight (People's Movement of Serbia - Democratic Party - People's Party)", "We - Voice of the People", "The Only Hope for Požarevac - POKS" and "My city, my village - my people".
Jagodina
At the head of the ballot is Dragan Marković's United Serbia (JS), which is running with traditional socialist partners, although in the previous elections in 2020 it was in a coalition with the progressives, when they won the majority. Marković, known by the nickname Palma, is also the holder of the list.
The progressives come out independently and are number three, and they are led by Nikola Radosavljević, the president of the City Committee of the SNS in Jagodina.
The lists "Dušan Marković - We are asking!" are also fighting for council seats. Deeds, not words", "It's time for changes, indigenous people - Mita Arsić - It depends on us - My Russia - Jagodina center - We will not be silent" and "We are the strength of the people, prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorović - Jagodina".
Cacak
In this city, 94.276 people have the right to vote. Seven lists are fighting for 75 council seats.
First on the ballot is the coalition gathered around the ruling progressives, "Aleksandar Vučić - Čačak Sutra", led by the current mayor Milun Todorović.
"Group of Citizens Ivan V. Ćalović Truth and Honor" is in second place.
Among the candidates of the list under number three "Primarius dr. Milan Roganović - Serbian movement Dveri - Boško Obradović - Radmila Živković - Dragan Ćendić - Biljana Rubaković" is a well-known name outside the local area - Boško Obradović, former president, now only a member of the Serbian movement Dveri.
And among the candidates for councilors on the "All for Čačak" list, number four, there are recognizable names. In 48th place is Velimir Ilić, former minister and former mayor of Čačak.
"ProBudimo Čačak" is on the second half of the ballot, led by activist Pavle Jelesijević.
In second last place is the opposition bloc "Čačak against violence and New DSS (People's Movement of Serbia, Democratic Party, Party of Serbia Center, New Democratic Party of Serbia and New Face of Serbia)".
The "Russian Party - Serbs and Russians are brothers forever!" is also fighting for the local parliament.
Uzice
Former mayor Jelena Raković Radivojević is at the head of the "Aleksandar Vučić - Užice sutra" list.
More than 64.000 voters will be able to vote for one of the papers "Yes Užice has a future - Glišo Vidović", New Democratic Party of Serbia - Branko Đurić - New face of Serbia - Miloš Parandilović - For new Užice, "Užice defense league - Užice action - Our city - Our people", "Milan Stamatović - Healthy Serbia", "Uzice Democratic Front - Dr. Željko Bacotić", "Ivana Parlić the best for Užice, patriotic coalition Dveri - People's Party - POKS", "Coalition We Choose the Fight, We Choose Užice".
