Slow government formation will suit Serbian president

Significance

The SNS lost its absolute parliamentary majority for the first time since 2014. While happy with his own result, Vucic is displeased with his party's performance and with the result in Belgrade, where the opposition came closest to victory. However, the SNS will have no difficulty building a parliamentary majority.

Impacts

• In spite of Serbia’s continued democratic decline, Western leaders will again count on Vucic to 'stabilise' the region.
• The SNS’s poor performance in the Belgrade election may tempt Vucic to hold early Belgrade city and parliamentary elections in 2023.
• A second repeat vote must be held in a polling station near Bujanovac, delaying the final certification of the elections overall.