Serbia in 2022: Elections and Eco Anger Challenge Vucic’s Grip

Serbian president may face an unusually tough year as a fragmented opposition consolidates itself and environmental protests continue.

Ayear marked by crime and corruption scandals in the ruling Serbian Progressive Party caused some internal rife in this normally monolith party.

It ended with serious ecological protests that shook the decade-long rule of President Aleksandar Vucic, but also helped consolidate the fragmented opposition.

Experts suggest that 2022 may be the most challenging year for Vucic since he took power in 2012.

April’s presidential and parliamentary elections, and local elections in the capital Belgrade, where almost third of the population lives, will be a harder task for the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, SNS, than usual, especially in the capital where polls suggest the opposition has a chance.

Ecological protests, which are on the rise in general, are aimed particularly at the multinational corporation Rio Tinto and its plan to open a lithium mine.

Opposition to the project, which has powerful Western backers, will continue to be a serious issue for the government not only because of the militant resistance of the protesters but also because even many ruling party voters are dissatisfied with the government’s care of Serbian natural resources.