President Aleksandar Vučić hailed the victories of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Negotin, Mionica, and Sečanj as “exceptional” and “incredible,” but a closer look at the results paints a very different picture: a party once dominant is losing ground, even in its traditional strongholds.
In Negotin, SNS’s support fell from 79.6% in 2022 to 69.3%, a sharp drop signaling growing voter discontent. Mionica saw an even more dramatic decline, from 84.6% in 2021 to just 52.1%, with the newly formed “United for Mionica” list—comprising students, opposition members, and independent figures—claiming surprise victories in several polling stations. In Sečanj, SNS’s share plummeted from 88.8% in 2022 to 63.6%.
These results reveal that SNS’s grip on power is weakening despite the party’s extensive use of state resources and alleged coercive measures. Reports from election day describe masked enforcers, voter intimidation, threats, and manipulation, reflecting a strategy of maintaining control through fear rather than democratic legitimacy.
Vučić’s declaration of an “extraordinary” victory ignores the clear erosion of public support and highlights a disconnect between the president’s perception and the reality on the ground. The ruling party’s reliance on intimidation and manipulation, rather than genuine engagement with voters, raises serious questions about the state of democracy in Serbia.
The decline in support for SNS demonstrates that even in traditional bastions, voters are increasingly willing to challenge authoritarian practices, suggesting that Vučić’s narrative of invincibility is no longer tenable.
