Mass protests erupted in Belgrade after disputed December 2023 elections, prompting a European Parliament resolution and a repeat Belgrade city election in June 2024.
Key Facts
- Protests start date
- 18 December 2023
- Protests end date
- 30 December 2023
- Hunger strikers (SPN)
- 7 representatives
- Longest hunger strike
- Marinika Tepić, 13 days
- Repeat Belgrade election
- 2 June 2024
- City Assembly riot
- 24 December 2023
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The parliamentary and Belgrade City Assembly elections held on 17 December 2023 were accompanied by widespread alleged electoral fraud, including vote buying, ballot-box stuffing, and group voting, as documented by monitoring organisations CeSID, CRTA, and the ODIHR. The ruling SNS denied all allegations, but the results left Belgrade's city assembly without a governing majority.
Beginning 18 December 2023, the opposition Serbia Against Violence coalition, the Students Against Violence organisation, and the ProGlas initiative organised mass protests in Belgrade demanding annulment of the election results. Seven SPN representatives undertook hunger strikes, and on 24 December a riot broke out when opposition councillors attempted to enter the Belgrade City Assembly building.
The protests ended on 30 December 2023 after all hunger strikers stood down. The European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for an international investigation into the fraud. Belgrade's City Assembly failed to constitute itself, leading to a repeat election on 2 June 2024, which the opposition lost, restoring the SNS majority in the body.
Political Outcome
Protests failed to annul results; repeat Belgrade election held 2 June 2024, won by ruling SNS, restoring its city assembly majority.
Hung Belgrade City Assembly following disputed 17 December 2023 election
SNS regained majority in Belgrade City Assembly after June 2024 repeat election