Tomislav Nikolić
Who was Tomislav Nikolić?
Fourth President of Serbia from 2012 to 2017, representing the Serbian Progressive Party. He previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and was known for his nationalist political positions.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Tomislav Nikolić (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Tomislav Nikolić was born on February 15, 1952, in Bajčetina, a village near Kragujevac, in what was then the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. He studied at the First Technical School in Kragujevac. Over the decades, he became one of Serbia's most well-known politicians, ultimately serving as the fourth President of Serbia from 2012 to 2017.
Nikolić started his political journey as a member of the Serbian Radical Party, a far-right nationalist group led by Vojislav Šešelj. During the late 1990s, he took on important governmental roles, acting as Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia from 1998 to 1999, and then as Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1999 to 2000 in a coalition government. In 2003, he became the deputy leader of the Serbian Radical Party and briefly served as President of the National Assembly of Serbia in 2007.
In 2008, Nikolić parted ways with Šešelj and the Serbian Radical Party due to a significant disagreement over Serbia's relationship with the European Union. While Šešelj was against joining the EU, Nikolić supported it. After leaving, he founded the Serbian Progressive Party, which drew many former members of the Serbian Radical Party. Under his leadership, the party became a major force in Serbian politics.
Nikolić ran several times for the presidency of Serbia before finally winning. He ran for President of Yugoslavia in 2000 and came in third. In the 2003 Serbian presidential election, he received the most votes, but the election was canceled due to low voter turnout. He finished second to Boris Tadić in both the 2004 and 2008 elections. In 2012, he beat Tadić in a run-off to secure the presidency. During his five-year term, he worked to balance Serbia's hopes for joining the EU with the contentious issue of Kosovo's independence, which he and the Serbian government persistently refused to recognize.
Nikolić is married to Dragica Nikolić. During his time as president, he received various international awards, including the Order of José Martí from Cuba, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer from Greece, the Dostyk Order of Grade I from Kazakhstan, and the Order of Friendship from Russia. He did not run for re-election in 2017, and his party colleague Aleksandar Vučić succeeded him as president.
Before Fame
Tomislav Nikolić grew up near Kragujevac in central Serbia and attended the First Technical School in Kragujevac. He spent his early years during the time of socialist Yugoslavia under Josip Broz Tito, a period marked by one-party rule, state-run industry, and the stifling of nationalist feelings. The political scene back then didn't hint at the nationalist political wave he would later join.
As Yugoslavia began to fall apart in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a rise in Serbian nationalist politics paved the way for Nikolić's success. He joined the Serbian Radical Party during this time of upheaval, becoming a prominent parliamentary figure while Serbia dealt with war, international sanctions, and significant social changes. His dedication to party work and multiple election campaigns gave him the political experience and recognition that would shape his later career.
Key Achievements
- Served as the fourth President of Serbia from 2012 to 2017
- Founded the Serbian Progressive Party in 2008, which became one of Serbia's most powerful political parties
- Served as Deputy Prime Minister of both Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the late 1990s
- Won the 2012 presidential run-off election against incumbent Boris Tadić after four previous presidential campaigns
- Received numerous high-level international state decorations from countries including Russia, Greece, Cuba, Kazakhstan, and Portugal
Did You Know?
- 01.In the 2003 Serbian presidential election, Nikolić won the most votes of any candidate but the result was nullified because turnout fell below the legally required threshold.
- 02.He founded the Serbian Progressive Party in 2008 after resigning from the Serbian Radical Party specifically over the issue of EU membership, a position reversal that reoriented Serbian mainstream politics.
- 03.He briefly served as President of the National Assembly of Serbia in 2007, holding the position for only a short period before political circumstances changed.
- 04.Among his international decorations is the Order of José Martí, one of Cuba's highest state honors, awarded during his presidency.
- 05.Nikolić ran for the presidency of Serbia on four separate occasions before winning, spanning elections in 2003, 2004, 2008, and finally 2012.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of Glory | — | — |
| Order of Merit, 1st class | — | — |
| Order of Friendship | — | — |
| Order of José Martí | — | — |
| Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer | — | — |
| Order of the Friendship of Peoples | 2017 | — |
| Dostyk Order of grade I | — | — |
| Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry | — | — |
| Registered firearms | — | — |
| National Order of Merit | — | — |
| Order of Makarios III | — | — |
| Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry | — | — |