Electioneering strategies in the hybrid regime: Another regular snap election in Serbia

Abstract

On December 17, 2023, another cycle of extraordinary parliamentary elections was held in Serbia, this time simultaneously with early provincial elections in the northern autonomous province of Vojvodina and early local elections in over 60 cities and municipalities. Elections for nearly 90 other cities and municipalities in the country have been conducted 6 months later, in June 2024, coinciding with the expiration of local assembly mandates. Both votes were preceded by political crises; however, as with all elections since 2014, they resulted in a decisive victory for the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). In this paper, we will present an overall framework of the elections, including electoral rules, main actors and their campaign strategies, and results. Additionally, we will employ theoretical concepts of hybrid regime, stabilitocracy, and nationalization of elections to explain the frequent extraordinary elections in Serbia and their outcomes.