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Situation in Serbia following elections

TA-9-2024-0075 · P9_TA(2024)0075 · PE756.848

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

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Parliament's resolution on Serbia's 17 December 2023 elections says they deviated from international standards and cannot be deemed fair, citing systematic abuse of institutions and media. It calls for an independent international investigation into irregularities, an ad hoc fact-finding mission, and a Commission expert mission to Serbia. It urges Serbia to investigate and prosecute election offences, protect observers and journalists, audit the voter register, and implement OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations. It says EU accession talks should advance only with significant reform progress, calls for strict conditionality and an audit of IPA III funding, and asks for suspension of EU funding if Serbia was directly involved in voter fraud.

Key points

  1. Deplores that the 17 December 2023 parliamentary and local elections deviated from international standards and Serbia's commitments, owing to the incumbents' abuse of institutions and media, and considers they cannot be deemed fair.
  2. Notes the international election observation mission found the day conducted smoothly but marked by procedural deficiencies, and says the election environment fell below standards expected of an EU candidate country.
  3. Notes with concern extensive observer evidence of activities that may have altered the outcome, especially the Belgrade municipal elections, and undermined the legitimacy of the parliamentary elections.
  4. Calls for an independent international investigation by respected legal experts into irregularities, with special attention to the Belgrade City Assembly elections, and supports an ad hoc fact-finding mission with Parliament's participation.
  5. Urges the Commission to send an expert mission to Serbia to assess the elections and post-election developments, facilitate societal dialogue, and address systemic rule of law issues, looking at the example of the 'Priebe Reports'.
  6. Deplores the lack of institutional response, prosecutions and sanctions for electoral manipulation, voter register abuse, intimidation, corruption and misuse of state office, and urges Serbia to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
  7. Condemns attacks by Serbian officials on election observers, including Members of the European Parliament, urges protection of observers, and commends the work of domestic observers CRTA and CeSID.
  8. Is concerned about the 'passivisation' of residential addresses depriving citizens of the right to vote, and urges Serbia to address national minority participation, pressure and vote buying.
  9. Calls on Serbia to restore electorate confidence, ensure transparent procedures and accountability, cooperate with ODIHR, the EU and the Council of Europe, and implement long-standing OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations.
  10. Calls for a comprehensive audit of the unified voter register, urges the Republic Election Commission to improve transparency, and condemns the absence of media pluralism, biased reporting and the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media's failure to scrutinise the campaign.
  11. Condemns disproportionate police violence against peaceful demonstrators and harsh treatment of protest participants, and rejects Serbian authorities' unsubstantiated claims that EU Member States organised post-election protests.
  12. Reiterates that accession negotiations should advance only with significant reform progress, calls for strict conditionality and an IPA III audit, and calls for suspension of EU funding if Serbia was directly involved in voter fraud.

Who is affected

  • Serbia's authorities, who are urged to investigate offences, protect observers and journalists, audit the voter register and implement recommendations.
  • Serbian voters, including those whose residential addresses were 'passivised' and deprived of the right to vote.
  • Election observers, including Members of the European Parliament, who were attacked and discredited by Serbian officials.
  • Serbian journalists and media, facing pressure, attacks and a lack of pluralism.
  • The Commission and the Council, asked to apply strict conditionality and audit IPA III funding to Serbia.

Figures and deadlines

  • 6 500 666 — final number of voters on the unified voter register.
  • 58,58 % — voter turnout, slightly higher than in 2022.
  • 43 % — share of the 2 817 parliamentary candidates who were women.
  • 46,75 % — votes won by the SNS according to the Republic Election Commission.
  • 23,66 % — votes won by the 'Serbia against Violence' coalition.
  • at least 30 000 — voters estimated by CRTA to be affected by inaccuracies in the voter register.
  • 38 — people arrested after the 24 December 2023 protest.
  • 91 — Serbia's ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, dropping 12 places.