The approaching elections are also becoming evident through the actions of opposition parties, which are gradually grouping themselves into alliances. At present, it appears that both the pro-European and right-wing opposition parties will contest the elections in at least two separate blocs each.
Analysts believe that, regardless of the number of opposition blocs, the main contest in the elections will be between the ruling coalition and the student-backed list.
Fresh momentum was given to election preparations by the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), which on Sunday decided to participate in the elections. The party’s leader, Dragan Đilas, called on pro-European parties to form a coalition, specifically naming SRCE, the People’s Movement of Serbia (NPS), the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), and the Ecological Uprising, but not the Green-Left Front (ZLF). This may be because ZLF announced last week that it was prepared to support a student list in the elections this autumn.
Will only SRCE accept the SSP invitation?
Judging by the initial reactions, it is uncertain whether SSP will succeed in forming a coalition with any of the listed pro-European parties other than SRCE.
Zdravko Ponoš, president of SRCE, stated that his party would certainly be part of the pro-European bloc, adding: “Those who want to join will join; those who do not, will not.”
Miroslav Aleksić, leader of the People’s Movement of Serbia, announced that his party would participate in the elections but said there had been no discussions or agreements regarding a coalition with SSP, only broader-format meetings held at NPS offices.
Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta of the Ecological Uprising said that the movement would make a decision on the elections once students announced the names of candidates on their list and that they were not currently considering coalition arrangements.
PSG did not comment directly on SSP’s invitation, but at the end of May emphasised that its “main political objective is to maximise the election result”.
Aleksić “responds” to Đilas with photographs?
A perhaps more concrete response to SSP came in the form of photographs. The day after SSP called on pro-European parties to unite, Aleksić (NPS) published a photograph with Đorđe Stanković and Uroš Đokić from NPS, Dragan Milić, leader of the PODES movement, and Miloš Parandilović, president of New Face of Serbia.
“An ideal opportunity for Đilas and Ponoš to show their worth”
Parandilović, in his characteristic style, suggested that a coalition among those parties was taking shape by directing sharp criticism towards SSP and SRCE.
“This may be the ideal opportunity for Đilas and Ponoš to demonstrate their value on the political market. It is particularly grotesque that Đilas and Ponoš are setting conditions for anyone. I am pleased that, after boycotting the Belgrade elections and missing a certain victory in the capital, they have finally realised that they should participate in elections,” Parandilović said.
On the right wing of the opposition political spectrum, there are equally serious disagreements. An open conflict continues between the New Democratic Party of Serbia (Novi DSS) and Branimir Nestorović’s movement “We, the Strength of the People”. It is therefore already certain that right-wing opposition parties will not contest the elections as a single bloc either.
It should be recalled that there are indications that the People’s Party, led by Vladimir Gajić, may form a coalition with Nestorović’s movement.
Stojanović: Two dominant political actors, everyone else overestimates their importance
Political analyst Boban Stojanović noted that Serbia currently has two dominant political actors: – Aleksandar Vučić and the student movement – while the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) could potentially play a very important role in the elections.
“I believe that all other political actors are exaggerating their size, significance and potential in these elections. This is particularly true because part of the traditional opposition has already decided not to participate in the next elections and will instead support the student list. Among them is the strongest political actor before the emergence of the students, the Kreni-Promeni movement, as well as the Democratic Party and now the very important, relatively new political entity, the Green-Left Front,” Stojanović said.
Panović: Only a unified electoral list has any chance against SNS
Zoran Panović, Programme Director of Demostat, is also unconvinced that competing in multiple blocs would produce the best result for the opposition.
“Based on public opinion research conducted by Demostat, only a unified and serious joint list has any chance against the SNS list, the ruling coalition and its partners,” Panović stated.
According to him, discussions about multiple blocs are ultimately a matter of political strategy.
“If these pro-European parties were to hold a unification assembly, integrate into a single party, elect a president, vice-presidents, adopt a statute and establish party bodies, and then negotiate with the student list about the magical word that exists in politics – just five letters long – quotas, many problems could be resolved. Not everyone can be president,” Panović said.
He added that “there are far too many small parties on the scene” and that “the opposition landscape requires a reduction in the number of political actors”.
(Blic, 10.06.2026)