Government and Politics of Serbia

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Legal System

based on civil law system

Suffrage

16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Serbia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017); note - the president serves as chief of state head of government: Prime Minister Milos VUCEVIC (since 2 May 2024); note - the prime minister serves as head of government cabinet: Government (cabinet) elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term, eligible for a second term; election last held on 3 April 2022 (next to be held in 2027); prime minister elected by the National Assembly election results: Aleksandar VUCIC reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Aleksandar VUCIC (SNS) 59.8%, Zdravko PONOS (NADA coalition) 18.9%, Milos JOVANOVIC (NADA) 6.1%, other 15.2%

Legislative Branch

unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls for direct elections elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2006 in Montenegro and 2007 in Serbia) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS 8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Judicial Branch

The Court of Serbia and Montenegro; judges are elected by the Serbia and Montenegro Parliament for six-year terms note: since the promulgation of the 2003 Constitution, the Federal Court has constitutional and administrative functions; it has an equal number of judges from each republic

Political Parties

Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; G17 Plus [Miroljub LABUS]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LSCG [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; Power of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; Serbian Peoples' Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Ivica DACIC, president of Main Board]; Social Democratic Party of Montenegro or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC] note: the following political parties participate in elections and institutions only in Kosovo, which has been governed by the UN under UNSCR 1244 since 1999: Albanian Christian Democratic Party or PSHDK [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Gora or GIG [leader NA]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party or PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergj DEDAJ]; Ora [Veton SURROI]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Bislim HOTI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Prizren-Dragas Initiative or PDI [Ismajl KARADOLAMI]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Serb List for Kosovo and Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]; Vakat [leader NA]

Head of State

James Alix MICHEL

Head of Government

James MICHEL

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

Election Results

President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004

Constitution

4-Feb-03

Independence

27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY - now Serbia and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National Holiday

National Day, 27 April

International Organization Participation

CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933 consulate(s) general: Chicago

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 consulate(s): Podgorica note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Pristina, Kosovo; telephone: [381](38)549-516; FAX: [381](38)549-890

Capital City

Belgrade (Beograd)

Location

44 50 N, 20 30 E

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

the Serbian "Beograd" means "white fortress" or "white city" and dates back to the 9th century; the name derives from the white fortress wall that once enclosed the city

U.S. Embassy Belgrade Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadordevica 92 11040 Belgrade Serbia Telephone: 381-11-7064-000 Email: belgradeacs@state.gov

Military Branches

Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces Command (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Air and Air Defense Forces Command

Service Age and Obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished December 2010; reserve obligation to age 60 for men and age 50 for women