Democratic Party of Serbia
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party
in Serbia
.
(DS) that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia
(DEPOS) split from the party and formed their own in 1992.
Soon after the March 9, 1991 protest
, differences had arisen within DS ranks in over the "national question" in the former Yugoslavia. The DSS wing which would eventually split, believed that the national interests of Serbians were betrayed by Slobodan Milošević
's regime, and approached the Serbian position in Yugoslavia as neither as question of political democracy nor economic equality but as larger question of Serbian national survival.
The DS wing however did not believe a genuine national issue in former Yugoslavia existed. The extent of their involvement in such discussion went as far as noting that the Serbian nation
as the most populous one within Yugoslavia has a special responsibility for the country's survival.
Some prominent members who left DS include: Vojislav Koštunica
, Vladeta Janković
, Đurđe Ninković, Draško Petrović
, Mirko Petrović
and Vladan Batić
. The DSS founding assembly was held on July 26, 1992 and elected Vojislav Koštunica
as party chairman. First regular party assembly took place on December 5, 1992, which is when the founding manifesto
was adopted.
- which grew to 20 after non-party-aligned members of DEPOS decided to leave the Parliament.
Soon, similar differences of opinion over ways in which to fight the Milošević regime and the approach to national issue that led to division in DS, appeared in DEPOS too. DSS decided to leave the coalition in mid-1993.
Next parliamentary elections in Serbia were called prematurely for December 19, 1993. This time DSS ran independently and received seven seats. This was a period of the party's political stagnation as it did not have enough seats to significantly influence matters in Serbia and was left without representation in the federal assembly.
In 1996, opposition Zajedno (Together) coalition was created. DSS entered the 1996 federal parliamentary elections as part of the coalition and won four seats in the federal assembly.
(DOS) who's presidential candidate and leader of the DSS, Vojislav Koštunica
defeated Slobodan Milosevic
in the 2000 Yugoslav presidential election held on 24 September 2000 winning 50.24% of the vote and triggering the Overthrow of Slobodan Milošević who contested the election results.
In the December 2000 Serbian parliamentary election
, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia won 64.7% of the popular vote translating into 176 seats in the National Assembly. The DSS was allocated 45 seats. In the ensuing Democratic Opposition of Serbia coalition government
, DSS had very little influence with just two cabinet level ministerial posts, that of Deputy Prime Minister (held by Aleksandar Pravdić
) and Minister of Health (held by Obren Joksimović
) as well as very few second tier posts of Deputy Minister. The DSS was unhappy with the direction of the DOS Government policy and split from the coalition in late 2001.
In the 2003 parliamentary election
, the DSS won 17.7% of the popular vote, translating into 53 seats in the parliament. Of these 53 seats, three went to the People's Democratic Party
(NDS), one to the Serbian Liberal Party
and one to the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS).
In 2004 NDS left the coalition with DSS, leaving it with 50 seats in the National Assembly. However, in 2005 both the NDS and the SDS merged into the DSS, bringing its caucus size in parliament to 52.
The DSS won 47 seats in coalition with New Serbia
in the 2007 parliamentary election
, receiving 667,615 votes or 16.55% of the total popular vote. DSS itself received 33 seats in the parliament, and formed a group together with New Serbia, the Serbian Democratic Renewal Movement
and United Serbia
.
The leader of the DSS since its foundation, Vojislav Koštunica
, was the Prime Minister of Serbia between March 2004 and July 2008 heading up two coalition governments. The first coalition government
between March 2004 and July 2007 in coalition with Serbian Renewal Movement
and G17 Plus
. The second coalition government
between July 2007 and July 2008 in coalition with Democratic Party and G17 Plus.
In the early 2008 parliamentary election
held in May 2008 following the self proclaimed declaration of independence by the Serbian province of Kosovo, the DSS won 30 seats in the National Assembly in coalition with New Serbia. It won 480,987 votes representing 11.62% of the electorate. In coalition with New Serbia 2008-10, it formed the second largest opposition block in the Serbian parliament.
However, since 2010 it plans to stand alone in the next parliamentary elections in 2012.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
Foundation
The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) was founded when a faction of the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Serbia. It is described as a social liberal or social democratic party.-Pre-war history:The Democratic Party was established on 16 February 1919 from unification of Sarajevo parties independent radicals, progressives, liberals and the Serbian part of...
(DS) that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia
Democratic Movement of Serbia
The Democratic Movement of Serbia or DEPOS, was a political coalition founded in 1992 ahead of serbian parliamentary election, 1992 and 1993. The coalition was formed by:*Serbian Renewal Movement , led by Vuk Drašković;...
(DEPOS) split from the party and formed their own in 1992.
Soon after the March 9, 1991 protest
March 9, 1991 protest
March 9, 1991 protest refers to a mass rally on the streets of Belgrade that turned into a riot featuring vicious clashes between the protesters and police. It was organized by Vuk Drašković's Serbian Renewal Movement on March 9, 1991...
, differences had arisen within DS ranks in over the "national question" in the former Yugoslavia. The DSS wing which would eventually split, believed that the national interests of Serbians were betrayed by Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
's regime, and approached the Serbian position in Yugoslavia as neither as question of political democracy nor economic equality but as larger question of Serbian national survival.
The DS wing however did not believe a genuine national issue in former Yugoslavia existed. The extent of their involvement in such discussion went as far as noting that the Serbian nation
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
as the most populous one within Yugoslavia has a special responsibility for the country's survival.
Some prominent members who left DS include: Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
, Vladeta Janković
Vladeta Jankovic
Vladeta Janković, PhD a founder member of the Democratic Party of Serbia in July 1992. He was appointed Yugoslav Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2001. From 2004, he was chief foreign policy adviser to the Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Koštunica and was elected the Deputy President of...
, Đurđe Ninković, Draško Petrović
Draško Petrovic
Draško Petrović, MSc is a Serbian politician and businessman.He graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School before going on to obtain a Masters degree from the Faculty of Transport at the same university.In May 1990 he became one of the founding members of the Democratic Party's Youth...
, Mirko Petrović
Mirko Petrovic (politician)
Mirko Petrović is a Serbian politician and former Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest Serbian companies, the Dunav Insurance Company. He was a member of the Founding Committee of the Democratic Party in December 1989...
and Vladan Batić
Vladan Batic
Vladan Batić was a Serbian politician. He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law. He was the Minister of Justice in the Serbian Government from 2000 to 2003. It 2001, Batić announced that warrants would be made for the arrests of former persons in power before the 5 October...
. The DSS founding assembly was held on July 26, 1992 and elected Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
as party chairman. First regular party assembly took place on December 5, 1992, which is when the founding manifesto
Manifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
was adopted.
1992-1999
The first ever elections DSS took part in were the December 1992 parliamentary ones. As part of DEPOS, DSS received 18 seats in the National Assembly of SerbiaNational Assembly of Serbia
The National Assembly of Serbia is the unicameral parliament of Serbia. It is composed of 250 proportionally elected deputies elected in general elections by secret ballot, on 4 years term. The National Assembly elects the President of the National Assembly who presides over the sessions...
- which grew to 20 after non-party-aligned members of DEPOS decided to leave the Parliament.
Soon, similar differences of opinion over ways in which to fight the Milošević regime and the approach to national issue that led to division in DS, appeared in DEPOS too. DSS decided to leave the coalition in mid-1993.
Next parliamentary elections in Serbia were called prematurely for December 19, 1993. This time DSS ran independently and received seven seats. This was a period of the party's political stagnation as it did not have enough seats to significantly influence matters in Serbia and was left without representation in the federal assembly.
In 1996, opposition Zajedno (Together) coalition was created. DSS entered the 1996 federal parliamentary elections as part of the coalition and won four seats in the federal assembly.
Since 2000
The DSS was a founding member of the Democratic Opposition of SerbiaDemocratic Opposition of Serbia
The Democratic Opposition of Serbia was a wide alliance of political parties in Serbia , formed as a coalition against the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia and its leader, Slobodan Milošević in 2000...
(DOS) who's presidential candidate and leader of the DSS, Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
defeated Slobodan Milosevic
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
in the 2000 Yugoslav presidential election held on 24 September 2000 winning 50.24% of the vote and triggering the Overthrow of Slobodan Milošević who contested the election results.
In the December 2000 Serbian parliamentary election
Serbian parliamentary election, 2000
The first free democratic parliamentary election after the fall of Slobodan Milošević was held in the Republic of Serbia on 23 December 2000.-Results:...
, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia won 64.7% of the popular vote translating into 176 seats in the National Assembly. The DSS was allocated 45 seats. In the ensuing Democratic Opposition of Serbia coalition government
Government of Serbia (2001-2004)
In the first post-Milošević Serbian parliamentary elections held on December 20, 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia coalition won 64.7% of the popular vote translating into 176 seats in the Serbian National Assembly ....
, DSS had very little influence with just two cabinet level ministerial posts, that of Deputy Prime Minister (held by Aleksandar Pravdić
Aleksandar Pravdic
Aleksandar Pravdić is a former Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of Serbia . He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics and until 2000 was employed as an economist in the Health Center in Gornji Milanovac...
) and Minister of Health (held by Obren Joksimović
Obren Joksimovic
Obren Joksimović is Serbian politician and former health minister. He was the leader of Democratic Community of Serbia which emerged from the Democratic Party of Serbia and merged into Serbian Radical Party.-References:...
) as well as very few second tier posts of Deputy Minister. The DSS was unhappy with the direction of the DOS Government policy and split from the coalition in late 2001.
In the 2003 parliamentary election
Serbian parliamentary election, 2003
Parliamentary elections were held in the Republic of Serbia on December 28, 2003. The Republic of Serbia then was one of the two federal units of Serbia and Montenegro, formerly known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
, the DSS won 17.7% of the popular vote, translating into 53 seats in the parliament. Of these 53 seats, three went to the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Serbia)
The People's Democratic Party was a political party in Serbia.At the last legislative elections, 28 December 2003, the party elected 3 seat on the list of the Democratic Party of Serbia. After the elections it partially merged into the Democratic Party of Serbia....
(NDS), one to the Serbian Liberal Party
Serbian Liberal Party
The Serbian Liberal Party was a political party in Serbia. It was founded by a group of 10 members of the Democratic Party who left their former party only a few days prior to the 1990 parliamentary elections...
and one to the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS).
In 2004 NDS left the coalition with DSS, leaving it with 50 seats in the National Assembly. However, in 2005 both the NDS and the SDS merged into the DSS, bringing its caucus size in parliament to 52.
The DSS won 47 seats in coalition with New Serbia
New Serbia
New Serbia is a political party in Serbia. It was created in 1997 by a number of dissidents from the Serbian Renewal Movement....
in the 2007 parliamentary election
Serbian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections took place in Serbia on 21 January 2007. The first session of the new National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia was held on 14 February 2007....
, receiving 667,615 votes or 16.55% of the total popular vote. DSS itself received 33 seats in the parliament, and formed a group together with New Serbia, the Serbian Democratic Renewal Movement
Serbian Democratic Renewal Movement
Serbian Democratic Renewal Movement was a monarchist political party in Serbia...
and United Serbia
United Serbia
United Serbia is a political party in Serbia, centered in Jagodina. It was previously a close ally of New Serbia, and was a member of its coalition with the Democratic Party of Serbia....
.
The leader of the DSS since its foundation, Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
, was the Prime Minister of Serbia between March 2004 and July 2008 heading up two coalition governments. The first coalition government
Government of Serbia (2004-2007)
The Government of Serbia under Vojislav Koštunica as the Prime Minister was formed on March 3, 2004. After 2007 Serbian parliamentary election on 21 January, this cabinet served as a transitional government handling only technical issues until the new government was finally formed in May 2007.This...
between March 2004 and July 2007 in coalition with Serbian Renewal Movement
Serbian Renewal Movement
The Serbian Renewal Movement is a political party in Serbia.It was founded in 1990.In 1997 a dissident group abandoned the party and formed New Serbia....
and G17 Plus
G17 Plus
G17 Plus , abbreviated to G17+, is a centre-right political party in Serbia. With 22 seats in the National Assembly, it is the third-largest party, and currently participates in a coalition with, amongst others, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party...
. The second coalition government
Government of Serbia (2007-2008)
Second Government under Vojislav Koštunica as the Prime Minister was formed on May 15, 2007. After Serbian parliamentary election, 2008 this cabinet served as a transitional government handling only technical issues until the new government was formed on July 7, 2008....
between July 2007 and July 2008 in coalition with Democratic Party and G17 Plus.
In the early 2008 parliamentary election
Serbian parliamentary election, 2008
A pre-term parliamentary election was held in the Serbia on 11 May 2008, barely a year after the previous parliamentary election. There were 6,749,886 eligible electors who were able to vote in 8,682 voting places, as well as 157 special voting places designed for refugees from...
held in May 2008 following the self proclaimed declaration of independence by the Serbian province of Kosovo, the DSS won 30 seats in the National Assembly in coalition with New Serbia. It won 480,987 votes representing 11.62% of the electorate. In coalition with New Serbia 2008-10, it formed the second largest opposition block in the Serbian parliament.
However, since 2010 it plans to stand alone in the next parliamentary elections in 2012.
Policies
List of policies- ConstitutionalityConstitutionalityConstitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
- Internal development
- Economic development
- Military neutrality
- Demographic renewal
- Support to Republika SrpskaRepublika SrpskaRepublika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
- Preservation of cultural identity
- Enhancement of education and science
- National unity and solidarity
Prominent members
- Vojislav KoštunicaVojislav KoštunicaVojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
(founder) - Aleksandar Popović
- Slobodan SamardžićSlobodan SamardžicSlobodan Samardžić is a Serbian academic and politician, and the former Minister for Kosovo-Metohija in the Government of Serbia succeeded by Goran Bogdanović.- Biography :...
- Aleksandar PravdićAleksandar PravdicAleksandar Pravdić is a former Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of Serbia . He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics and until 2000 was employed as an economist in the Health Center in Gornji Milanovac...
- Dragan JočićDragan JocicDragan Jočić is the former Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica. He was born in Belgrade in 1960....
- Miloš AligrudićMiloš AligrudićMiloš Aligrudić born 6 December 1964, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Is a Serbian politician and lawyer by profession. He is the current head of the ministerial group of the Democratic Party of Serbia in the National Assembly...
- Radomir Naumov
- Dragan MaršićaninDragan MaršicaninDragan Maršićanin is a Serbian politician. He was the ambassador of Serbia to Switzerland, serving from 2004 to 2009. He was also Serbian Minister of Economy, but his position was put on hold when he decided to run for president in 2004...
- Predrag BubaloPredrag BubaloPredrag Bubalo became the Minister of Industry and Privatization in the Government of Serbia in October 2004, replacing Dragan Maršićanin. Before that Bubalo was the Minister of International Economic Relations....
- Vladeta JankovićVladeta JankovicVladeta Janković, PhD a founder member of the Democratic Party of Serbia in July 1992. He was appointed Yugoslav Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2001. From 2004, he was chief foreign policy adviser to the Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Koštunica and was elected the Deputy President of...
(founder) - Draško PetrovićDraško PetrovicDraško Petrović, MSc is a Serbian politician and businessman.He graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School before going on to obtain a Masters degree from the Faculty of Transport at the same university.In May 1990 he became one of the founding members of the Democratic Party's Youth...
(founder) - Mirko PetrovićMirko Petrovic (politician)Mirko Petrović is a Serbian politician and former Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest Serbian companies, the Dunav Insurance Company. He was a member of the Founding Committee of the Democratic Party in December 1989...
(founder) - Đurđe Ninković (founder)
- Milan ParivodićMilan ParivodicMilan Parivodić Serbian Cyrillic Милан Париводић was the Minister of International Economic Relations in the Government of Serbia and also for a short period the acting Minister of Finance in 2006-07. He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law. His Ph.D...
- Vladan BatićVladan BaticVladan Batić was a Serbian politician. He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law. He was the Minister of Justice in the Serbian Government from 2000 to 2003. It 2001, Batić announced that warrants would be made for the arrests of former persons in power before the 5 October...
(founder) - Ljiljana Pekić (the widow of Borislav PekićBorislav PekicBorislav Pekić was a Serbian writer. He was born in 1930, to a prominent family in Montenegro, at that time part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. From 1945 until his immigration to London in 1971, he lived in Belgrade...
and niece of Milan StojadinovićMilan StojadinovicMilan Stojadinović was a Yugoslav political figure and a noted economist.Stojadinović was born in Čačak in central Serbia, and went to school in Užice and Kragujevac. In 1910 he graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School, and gained a Ph.D. in economics in 1911...
) (founder) - Bojan Dimitrijević