Tadic Quits Race to Lead Serbia Democrats

Serbia’s former president has abandoned his ambitions to remain at the helm of the Democratic Party, and will cede the post to Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas.Boris Tadic, leader of the opposition Democrats, announced on Sunday after a session of the party’s main board that he would not run for office again.

“I will most likely continue as the party’s honorary leader,” Tadic told reporters. “We want to change ourselves in order to change society,” he added.

Balkan Insight has learned that the reason for his withdrawal is his declining support across Serbia.

His rival, Dragan Djilas, Mayor of Belgrade and the party’s deputy president, is to take over the leadership, according to a source within the Democrats.

Party elections were intially scheduled for November 10 but were postponed until November 25. Djilas appears to enjoy the support of a majority of local Democratic Party headquarters.

The total number of the DS municipality headquarters in Serbia is 170.

Since the May general elections, party officials have been publicly bickering and blaming each other for the party’s defeat and loss of power.

Tadic was widely blamed for the election defeat and for having concentrated too much power in his hands.

Djilas, who won the Belgrade elections in May and was appointed Mayor for the second time, believes the party needs reforms.