Demokratska Stranka

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Demokratska Stranka
Democratic Party
Logo of the DS
Dragan Šutanovac
Party leader Dragan Šutanovac
founding December 11, 1989
Place of foundation Belgrade
Headquarters Krunska 69
Belgrade
Alignment Left liberalism , social democracy
Colours) Yellow blue
Parliament seats
12/250
Number of members 196.673
International connections Socialist International , Progressive Alliance
European party Party of European Socialists (PES)
Website www.ds.org.rs

The Demokratska Stranka ( DS ), in German Democratic Party ( Cyrillic  Демократска странка ), is a social democratic party in Serbia . The DS advocates parliamentary democracy and the welfare state . It is a pro-Western and pro-European party, but it rejects Kosovo's independence .

Establishment, prohibition and establishment

The Demokratska Stranka was founded in 1919 as a liberal party in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia . This was preceded by a merger of the Independent Radical Party with corresponding Croatian and Slovenian parties. The first chairman was Ljubomir Davidović , who was Prime Minister of the Kingdom from 1919-20 and again in 1924. The Democratic Party played a key role until the constitution was repealed in 1929, after which it was in the opposition. After Davidović's death, Milan Grol took the lead. During the German occupation , the members went into exile or fought as partisans . After the liberation in 1945, the communists took power, the DS was banned and many of its members were imprisoned.

In 1990 Demokratska Stranka was re-established. Chairman was Dragoljub Mićunović selected. Among the co-founders were both Zoran Đinđić and Vojislav Koštunica , who founded the conservative Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) in 1992 . In the elections in the same year, the party received 7.4% of the vote and 7 of the 250 seats, making it the third largest opposition and the only democratic force in the Serbian National Assembly. In 1994 Đinđić took over the party chairmanship.

Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS)

In January 2000 the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition was formed, consisting of 18 parties, of which the Serbian Renewal Movement and the DS were the strongest. In extraordinary presidential elections on 24 September 2000 won Vojislav Kostunica what the existing government but not recognized. Mass protests were organized, which led to the DOS coming to the head of the country on October 5th, which the Constitutional Court had to recognize.

The Đinđić government

After an election victory on December 23, 2000 with 64.1% of the vote and 176 of the 250 seats - 45 of which went to the DS - Zoran Đinđić became Prime Minister. The DSS of the Yugoslav President Koštunica left the DOS and the government of the Republic of Serbia in 2001, which led to a government crisis. However, Prime Minister Đin gelangić managed to maintain the coalition and the political majority.

On March 12, 2003, Zoran Đinđić was murdered. Zoran Živković succeeded him as head of government. The DOS alliance finally disintegrated in autumn 2003. From the parliamentary elections that followed, the DS emerged significantly weakened (12.6%; 37 seats). She was no longer involved in the new minority government of Koštunica.

Boris Tadić

In December 2003, Boris Tadić , then Minister of Defense and Vice-President, became chairman of the DS in Parliament. In February 2004, the DS elected him as the new party chairman. Tadić won the presidential elections in the same year with 27.3% in the first and 53.2% in the second ballot against Tomislav Nikolić of the Serbian Radical Party .

Parliamentary elections 2007

In the parliamentary elections in 2007 , the DS was able to gain significantly again, it won 22.7% of the vote and 64 seats. This made it the second strongest force behind the Radical Party. It formed a government coalition with the DSS and the G17 Plus . This broke up in the spring of 2008, after Kosovo declared independence , in the dispute over Serbia's relations with the European Union .

General election 2008

In the parliamentary elections in 2008 , the list for a European Serbia (DS in coalition with G17 Plus , SPO , LSV and the SDP ) surprisingly clearly won against the Radical Party. Previously, given the independence of Kosovo, at least a head-to-head race had been assumed. After the election, the western-oriented parties, of which the DS is the strongest force, agreed with the Socialist Party to form a coalition government.

Parliamentary and presidential elections 2012

In the parliamentary elections in 2012 , which were held at the same time as the presidential elections, the DS suffered a defeat. Although incumbent Boris Tadić was just ahead of Tomislav Nikolić with 25.33% in the first ballot with 24.99%, he had to admit defeat for Nikolić with 47.35% and 49.5% in the runoff election. In the parliamentary elections, too, the electoral alliance led by the DS received only the second most votes behind the electoral alliance led by the Progress Party with 22.07% to 24.01%. The previous coalition partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia , then entered into a new alliance with the Progressive Party, so that the DS has not been involved in the government since the elections. Boris Tadić passed the presidency to the then Mayor of Belgrade Dragan Đilas after the elections . Tadić later left the DS and founded the Social Democratic Party - SDS in 2014 .

General election 2014

In the early parliamentary elections in 2014 , DS only achieved 6.03% of the vote. Đilas was then replaced by Bojan Pajtić as party leader.

International Relations

Demokratska Stranka is a member of the Socialist International and the Social Democratic Party of Europe .

literature

  • Arno Weckbecker, Frank Hoffmeister: The development of the political parties in the former Yugoslavia . Oldenbourg, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-486-56336-X , ( Studies on Contemporary Studies in Southeastern Europe 34), p. 52 f.

Web links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/serbia.html
  2. ↑ n-tv .de: On course to Europe - government in Serbia stands