National Gathering (Serbia)

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National Gathering
Национално окупљање
Nacionalno okupljanje
Colours  Blue
Website
nacionalnookupljanje.rs

National Gathering (

political coalition in Serbia, composed of Serbian Party Oathkeepers and Dveri. Formed in October 2023, NO took part in the parliamentary, Vojvodina provincial, and Belgrade City Assembly
elections which were held on 17 December 2023.

During the campaign period, NO was represented by Boško Obradović, Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, and Ratko Ristić, who was the coalition's mayoral candidate for Belgrade. The election coalition was unsuccessful and it failed to cross the threshold, losing all of its representation. It was dissolved shortly afterwards.

An

ultranationalist coalition, NO was critical of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. It opposed the Ohrid Agreement, the independence of Kosovo, and the accession of Serbia to the European Union and NATO; instead it proposed closer relations with Russia, China, and BRICS. NO received support from the far-right Alternative for Germany, and it also organised a gathering with the Hungarian Our Homeland Movement and Bulgarian Revival
parties.

History

Background

The

National Assembly of Serbia.[1]

Their cooperation was further expanded in October 2022, when, together with the National Democratic Alternative (NADA), which is composed of New Democratic Party of Serbia (NDSS) and Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia (POKS), and the People's Party (Narodna), they signed a joint declaration for the "reintegration of Kosovo into the constitutional and legal order of Serbia".[2] Later that month, SSZ, Dveri, NDSS, and POKS, submitted a proposed resolution against introducing sanctions against Russia in the National Assembly.[3] Beginning in January 2023, SSZ, Dveri, and NADA had called organised protests and called for the rejection of the Ohrid Agreement, a proposed agreement to normalise relations between Serbia and Kosovo.[4] They organised protests in January and March 2023.[4][5]

Formation

Inside the City Assembly of Belgrade, SSZ and Dveri formed a joint councillor group in September 2023, named "Serbian Movement Dveri – Serbian Party Oathkeepers – Patriotic Bloc".[6] Đurđević Stamenkovski was presented as the group's leader, however, she said that Radmila Vasić would instead act as its main spokesperson.[6] A month later, on 4 October 2023, SSZ and Dveri formed the Serbian State-Building Bloc (SDB).[7] Alongside Đurđević Stamenkovski and Obradović, Miloš Ković, a historian and professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, was also one of its initiators; Obradović also added that academics Dušan Proroković, Ratko Ristić, and Valentina Arsić Arsenijević are also part of the bloc, despite not attending the press conference.[7] SSZ and Dveri announced that they would take part together in the upcoming elections and they invited NADA, Narodna, and "other extra-parliamentary and parliamentary parties that are opposed to the [Ohrid Agreement] to join the bloc".[7]

SSZ and Dveri announced on 9 October that they began talks with NADA, Narodna, and other extra-parliamentary parties in order to expand SDB for the upcoming elections.[8] Miloš Jovanović, the president of NDSS, did not rule out NADA joining SDB; he also said that "if it does not happen it will not be a drama".[9] Further talks between SSZ, Dveri, NDSS, POKS, and Narodna were held in late October 2023, however, Stefan Stamenkovski, on behalf of SSZ, rejected the proposed document in order to create a single electoral list for the 2023 parliamentary election.[10] Đurđević Stamenkovski said that "there were multiple constructive discussions" but also, that there would not be a single electoral list consisting of SSZ, Dveri, NDSS, POKS, and Narodna.[11] Following these negotiations, Ković disassociated himself with SSZ and Dveri.[12]

2023 elections

On 27 October, SSZ and Dveri presented Ristić as their mayoral candidate for the elections in Belgrade.[13] Once the elections were called on 1 November, SSZ and Dveri announced that they would contest the elections under the National Gathering (NO) label.[14] The Republic Electoral Commission confirmed their electoral list on 5 November, with Đurđević Stamenkovski as the ballot holder.[15] For the Belgrade City Assembly election, their electoral list was confirmed on 13 November.[16] Their electoral list for the Vojvodina provincial election was confirmed on 27 November.[17] Đurđević Stamenkovski and Obradović met with Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the foreign ministry of Russia, on 1 December.[18] NO held its last campaign convention on 10 December.[19]

NO failed to cross the threshold in the parliamentary, provincial, and Belgrade City Assembly elections, thus losing all of its representation in the bodies.[20][21][22] The coalition was dissolved on 30 December.[23]

Ideology and platform

This article is part of a series on
Far-right politics in Serbia
Principles
People
Parties
Coalitions
Organisations

A political coalition composed of SSZ and Dveri,

Kosovo and Metohija as part of Serbia, Republika Srpska, oppose sanctions against Russia and Serbia's membership in NATO, and protect the environment".[33][34]

NO campaigned on opposing the Ohrid Agreement, preserving traditional values and Kosovo as part of Serbia, supporting Republika Srpska and Serbs in neighbouring regions, and supporting ecological patriotism.[35] Obradović, on behalf of NO, stated his support for greater incentives for domestic businessmen and farmers.[36] NO has also expressed their support for retaining close relations with China due to their positions towards Kosovo.[37] Đurđević Stamenkovski said that NO would "request that Serbia become a part of BRICS".[38] Regarding Belgrade, Ristić emphasised on "fighting against pollution, corruption, and drug addiction, improving public transportation, and caring about the youth and the elderly".[39]

With Đurđević Stamenkovski leading the delegation, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) voiced its support for NO during the delegation's visit in Germany in November 2023.[40] The Ravna Gora Movement and Mladen Obradović of clerical-fascist Obraz organisation also expressed their support for the coalition.[41][42] In December 2023, NO organised a gathering in Belgrade, featuring far-right parties AfD, Hungarian Our Homeland Movement, and Bulgarian Revival.[43]

Members

At the time of its formation, NO was composed of SSZ and Dveri.

National Assembly of Serbia, NO had 7 members and Dveri had 6, while in the City Assembly of Belgrade, the SSZ–Dveri councillor group had 5 members.[44][45]

Name Leader Main ideology Political position National Assembly City Assembly of Belgrade
Serbian Party Oathkeepers (SSZ) Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski Ultranationalism Far-right
0 / 250
0 / 110
Serbian Movement Dveri
(Dveri) 		Boško Obradović Serbian nationalism Right-wing to far-right
0 / 250
0 / 110

Electoral performance

Parliamentary elections

National Assembly
Year Leader Popular vote % of popular vote # # of seats Seat change Status Ref.
Name Party
2023 Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski SSZ 105,165 2.83% Increase 6th
0 / 250
 Decrease 13 Extra-parliamentary

Provincial elections

Assembly of Vojvodina
Year Leader Popular vote % of popular vote # # of seats Seat change Status Ref.
Name Party
2023 Dejan Vuković SSZ To be decided TBA

Belgrade City Assembly elections

City Assembly of Belgrade
Year Leader Popular vote % of popular vote # # of seats Seat change Status Ref.
Name Party
2023 Ratko Ristić Ind. To be decided TBA

References

  1. ^ a b "Zavetnici i Dveri formirali blok protiv sankcija Rusiji" [Oathkeepers and Dveri form an against sanctions on Russia bloc]. Politika (in Serbian). 13 April 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Deklaracija Pokreta za odbranu KiM i pet partija za južnu pokrajinu" [Declaration of the Movement for the Defence of KiM and five parties for the southern province]. Radio Television of Serbia. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Dveri, Zavetnici, Novi DSS i POKS predali Skupštini predlog rezolucije protiv uvođenja sankcija Rusiji" [Dveri, Oathkeepers, New DSS, and POKS submitted to the National Assembly a proposal for a resolution against the introduction of sanctions against Russia]. Politika (in Serbian). 21 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Protest ispred Predsedništva: Dveri, NADA i Zavetnici traže potpuno odbacivanje evropskog predloga za Kosovo i Metohiju" [Protest in front of the Presidency: Dveri, NADA, and Oathkeepers demand complete rejection of the European proposal for Kosovo and Metohija]. Danas (in Serbian). 28 January 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  5. ^ ""Ne kapitulaciji": Protest protiv francusko-nemačkog predloga za Kosovo" ["No to capitulation": Protest against the Franco-German proposal for Kosovo] (in Serbian). BBC News. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Formirana nova odbornička grupa u Skupštini Beograda Zavetnici – Dveri" [A new councillor group was formed in the City Assembly of Belgrade, Oathkeepers–Dveri]. Danas (in Serbian). 13 September 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Zavetnici i Dveri formirali "Srpski državotvorni blok", pozvali koaliciju NADA i druge stranke da im se pridruže" [Oathkeepers and Dveri formed the "Serbian State-Building Bloc", they invited the NADA coalition and other parties to join them]. Danas (in Serbian). 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Dveri i Zavetnici u razgovorima sa drugim organizacijama slične orijentacije oko ujedinjenja" [Dveri and Oathkeepers in talks with other organisations of a similar orientation regarding unification]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 9 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Miloš Jovanović: Zasad nema koalicije sa Dverima, Zavetnicima i Narodnom strankom, ako se i ne desi nije drama" [Miloš Jovanović: So far there is no coalition with Dveri, Oathkeepers, and the People's Party, if it doesn't happen it's not a drama]. Danas (in Serbian). 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  10. ^ Štetin Lakić, Jovana (30 October 2023). "Propali pregovori državotvorne opozicije, Stamenkovski sprečio dogovor" [The negotiations of the state-forming opposition failed, Stamenkovski prevented the agreement]. N1 (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Zavetnici potvrdili izlazak u dve kolone, Đurđević Stamenkovski kaže - nema mesta intrigama" [Oathkeepers confirmed the departure in two columns, Đurđević Stamenkovski says - there is no room for intrigue]. N1 (in Serbian). 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  12. ^ Radovanović, Vojin (10 November 2023). "Zašto Miloš Ković više nije deo koalicije Dveri i Zavetnika?" [Why is Miloš Ković no longer part of the Dveri and Oathkeepers coalition?]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  13. ^ Radovanović, Vojin (27 October 2023). "Profesor Ratko Ristić kandidat Dveri i Zavetnika za gradonačelnika Beograda" [Professor Ratko Ristić, candidate of Dveri and Oathkeepers for mayor of Belgrade]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Zavetnici i Dveri potpisali koalicioni sporazum za predstojeće izbore" [Oathkeepers and Dveri signed a coalition agreement for the upcoming elections]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  15. ^ "RIK proglasio listu stranke Zavetnici i pokreta Dveri" [RIK proclaimed the electoral list of party Oathkeepers and movement Dveri]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). 5 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  16. ^ "GIK Beograd: Proglašene liste "Srbija protiv nasilja", oko Dveri i Zavetnika i lista koalicije Nada" [Belgrade GIK: Proclaimed electoral lists of "Serbia Against Violence", around Dveri and Oathkeepers and the list of coalition NADA]. N1 (in Serbian). 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  17. ^ "PIK: Proglašene još dve liste za pokrajinske izbore, ukupno 11" [PIK: Two more lists for the provincial elections have been announced, a total of 11]. N1 (in Serbian). 27 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Boško Obradović i Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski razgovarali sa Marijom Zaharovom" [Boško Obradović and Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski talked with Maria Zakharova]. Danas (in Serbian). 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Održana Završna konvencija koalicije okupljene oko liste Nacionalnog okupljanja" [The final convention of the coalition gathered around the list of the National Gathering was held]. Tanjug (in Serbian). 10 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  20. ^ "CeSID i IPSOS obradili 99,8 odsto uzorka: SNS-u 128 mandata, SPN-u 65" [CeSID and IPSOS processed 99.8 percent of the sample: SNS 128 mandates, SPN 65]. N1 (in Serbian). 18 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  21. ^ "IPSOS/CeSID: Preliminarni rezultati beogradskih izbora" [IPSOS/CeSID: Preliminary results of the Belgrade elections]. N1 (in Serbian). 17 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Pokrajinski izbori: Srpska napredna stranka ubedljiva i u Vojvodini" [Provincial elections: The Serbian Progressive Party is also dominating in Vojvodina] (in Serbian). BBC News. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Prestala da postoji koalicija Nacionalno okupljanje - Dveri i Zavetnici od sada samostalno" [The National Gathering coalition does not exist anymore - Dveri and Oathkeepers to go independently from now on]. N1 (in Serbian). 3 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  24. ^ Eror, Aleks (5 June 2022). "The Far-Right Parties Keeping The Serbian President In Check Over Ukraine". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Weekly Campaign Overview: Ruling parties and pro-EU opposition focus on domestic issues in a low-key campaign". European Western Balkans. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  26. ^ Popović, Sofija (24 November 2023). "Srebrenica genocide: Government's tool for discrediting opposition in Serbian elections". European Western Balkans. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  27. ^ Esteso Pérez, Alejandro (15 December 2023). "Portraying Kosovo in Serbia's election campaign". Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Dveri: Nacionalno okupljanje opcija za sve koji žele smenu Vučića ali ne i povratak bivšeg režima" [Dveri: National gathering of options for all those who want the removal of Vučić but not the return of the former regime]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  29. ^ Radovanović, Vojin (20 October 2023). "Zaboravite Vučića i Đilasa: Dveri i Zavetnici poručuju da neće da budu "štaka" proevropske opozicije za dolazak na vlast" [Forget Vučić and Đilas: Dveri and Oathkeepers say that they will not be a "crutch" of the pro-European opposition to come to power]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  30. ^ "Dveri i Zavetnici formirali srpski državotvorni blok" [Dveri and Oathkeepers form the Serbian State-Building Bloc]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  31. ^ "Predizborna saradnja Dveri i Zavetnika: Pozvali na "nacionalno okupljanje"" [Pre-election cooperation between Dveri and Oathkeepers: They called for "national gathering"]. N1 (in Serbian). 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Konvencija predizborne saradnje srpskog pokreta Dveri i stranke Zavetnici" [Convention of pre-election cooperation between the Serbian Movement Dveri and Party Oathkeepers]. Radio Television of Kragujevac (in Serbian). 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  33. ^ "Obradović: Valjevo ima ogromne potencijale, a plate niže za 20.000 dinara od republičkog proseka" [Obradović: Valjevo has enormous potential, and salaries are 20,000 dinars lower than the national average]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Obradović: Formiranje patriotskog i državotvornog bloka je početak nove ere srpske politike" [Obradović: The formation of the patriotic and state-building bloc marks the beginning of a new era of Serbian politics]. Danas (in Serbian). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  35. ^ "Zavetnici i Dveri potpisali koalicioni sporazum - zajednički nastupaju na izborima" [Oathkeepers and Dveri signed a coalition agreement - they participate in the elections together]. N1 (in Serbian). 1 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  36. ^ "Boško Obradović: Povećati podsticaje za domaće privrednike i poljoprivrednike" [Boško Obradović: Increase incentives for domestic businessmen and farmers]. Radio Television of Vojvodina (in Serbian). 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  37. ^ Čolić, Leposava (7 November 2023). "Podrška Kine Srbiji" [China's support to Serbia]. FoNet portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  38. ^ "Đurđević Stamenkovski: Evropska unija ima alternativu, a to je BRIKS" [Đurđević Stamenkovski: The European Union has an alternative, and that is BRICS]. N1 (in Serbian). 14 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  39. ^ "Koalicija "Nacionalno okupljanje" predala listu za beogradske izbore" [The "National Gathering" coalition submitted its list for the Belgrade elections]. N1 (in Serbian). 12 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  40. ^ "Đurđević Stamenkovski: Mi želimo Evropu u kojoj će Srbija imati svoje mesto" [Đurđević Stamenkovski: We want a Europe in which Serbia will have its place]. Tanjug (in Serbian). 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  41. ^ "Dveri i Ravnogorski pokret potpisali Sporazum o saradnji: "Plod višegodišnje uzajamne podrške"" [Dveri and the Ravna Gora movement signed a cooperation agreement: "The fruit of many years of mutual support"]. N1 (in Serbian). 20 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  42. ^ Radovanović, Vojin (24 November 2023). "Boško Obradović predstavio novu podršku "Nacionalnom okupljanju": Među njima Mladen Obradović i borci protiv obavezne vakcinacije" [Boško Obradović presented new support for the "National Gathering": Among them Mladen Obradović and fighters against mandatory vaccination]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  43. ^ "Nacionalno okupljanje i evropske suvernističke stranke za formiranje saveza zbog migrantske krize" [National Gathering and European sovereignist parties to form an alliance due to the migrant crisis]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  44. ^ "Poslaničke grupe" [Parliamentary groups]. National Assembly of Serbia (in Serbian). Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  45. ^ "Spisak odbornika Skupštine Grada Beograda" [List of councillors of the City Assembly of Belgrade] (PDF). City of Belgrade. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
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