Vučić, who represents the right-wing conservative SNS party, is gaining nearly 60 percent of the vote in Sunday’s election, according to preliminary results.
In Serbia incumbent president Aleksandar Vučić is gaining a follow – up with a superior vote catch in Sunday ‘s election.
Preliminary results show Vučić receiving 59.5 percent of the vote, the country’s election commission said on Monday, according to news agency Reuters.
Vučić’s party, the right-wing conservative SNS that has ruled Serbia since 2012, is gaining 43 percent of the vote.
The largest opposition group, Ujedinjena Srbija (United Kingdom, is getting 13 percent of the vote). The group’s presidential candidate and Vučić’s challenger Zdravko Ponoš is lagging far behind with 17.5% of the vote catch.
According to the Electoral Commission, turnout was nearly 60 percent, Reuters reports.
Populist Vučić has served as President of Serbia since 2017. Prior to that, he served as Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Serbia is one of Russia’s few allies in Europe.
Despite pressure from the West, the country has not imposed sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. Vučić has justified the decision on the grounds that Russia did not impose sanctions on Serb-led Yugoslavia during the Balkan wars in the 1990s.
At the same time, Serbia has sought to maintain divisions to the west. For example, the country voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian attack. Serbia is also a candidate for EU membership.
After declaring his victory on Sunday night, Vučić said the new government was facing difficult decisions. According to him, the government is working to maintain friendly relations with Russia.
During his reign, Vučić has strengthened his position in the country’s leadership by gnawing at democracy and freedom of the press.
On Monday President of Russia Vladimir Putin We have already congratulated Vučić on his convincing victory, reports AFP.
According to a Kremlin press release, Putin praised Vučić’s independent foreign policy, among other things.
“I look forward to your work as head of state continuing to support the strengthening of the strategic partnership between our countries,” Putin said in a telegram, according to AFP.
“This is undoubtedly in the interests of the fraternal peoples of Russia and Serbia.”
Clarified the wording of the story on 4.4.2022 at 19.47: Changed the name of the opposition group to Ujedinjena Srbija.
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