1991 Rakovica I by-election

1991 Rakovica I by-election
  • 16 June 1991 (first round)
  • 30 June 1991 (second round)
Turnout
  • 40.07% (first round)
  • 30.61% (second round)
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Vojislav Šešelj Radoš Karaklajić
Party SRS SPS
Popular vote 6,886 1,663
Percentage 80.08% 19.92%
Member of the National Assembly before election

Vacant[a]

 Elected Member of the National Assembly

Vojislav Šešelj
SRS

A by-election in the Rakovica I constituency in Serbia was held in June 1991. The election was called after the death of representative Miodrag Bulatović of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and was contested by Radoš Karaklajić of SPS, Vojislav Šešelj of the Serbian Radical Party, Borislav Pekić of the Democratic Party and ten other candidates. Šešelj's candidature was also supported by the Serbian National Renewal and Serb Democratic Party. The election resulted in Šešelj's victory, winning 80% of the popular vote in the second round of the election. He was sworn in to the National Assembly of Serbia on 8 July. In the following parliamentary election in 1992, his party went onto win 73 seats.

Background

Following the 1990 Serbian constitutional referendum, a multi-party system was introduced in Serbia.[2][3] This led to creation of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), led by Slobodan Milošević,[4] Democratic Party (DS), and Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO).[2] Shortly after the new constitution was adopted, general elections were called for 9 December 1990.[5] The elections resulted in a landslide victory of Milošević's SPS,[6] winning 194 out of 250 seats in the National Assembly of Serbia.[7] Among the candidates elected on the SPS list was Miodrag Bulatović in the constituency of Rakovica I.[8] The first convocation of the National Assembly was constituted on 11 January 1991,[9] while Bulatović was sworn in at a 16 January session.[10] However, he died on 15 March and his seat became vacant.[1] The by-election was called by Slobodan Unković, the president of the National Assembly, on 9 May.[11]

Electoral system

With the adoption of a new constitution in September 1990, a new electoral system was introduced in Serbia.[12]: 78  The 250 members of the National Assembly of Serbia were elected using a first-past-the-post, two-round voting system from 250 single-member constituencies.[13][14]: 18–20 [15]: 233  A constituency's territory could consist of multiple local communities (mesna zajednica), populated places (naseljena mesta), or a single municipality.[14]: 20–29  Eligible voters were able to vote for only one candidate in their respective constituency. A campaign for an election could have lasted 30 to 90 days.[16]

A candidate could be nominated by one or more political parties or other registered political organisations with at least 100 valid signatures from constituency residents, or by a citizens group (grupa građana) instead. A citizens group, under the law enacted in 1990, is a group of 100 citizens bound by an agreement willing to take part in an election. The candidate was submitted to Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) by its proposer. RIK could deny a candidate, after which the deficiencies had to be corrected within 48 hours if the candidate was to be re-submitted again. The symbol of a constituency, the name of the election, and a list of candidates that ran in the constituency were present on the voting ballot.[16] In the first round, a candidate was elected if at least 50% of the voters came out to vote, while in the second round the candidate with the most votes wins.[17]

RIK, the local election commission, and polling boards of the constituency oversaw the election in Rakovica I constituency.[16][18] Parliamentary elections were called by the president of the National Assembly, who also had to announce their dates.[16][19] To vote, a person had to be a citizen, able to perform working duties, and at least 18 years old.[16] Voting also took place in hospitals, nursing homes, and police barracks.[20] During the election day, eligible voters could have voted from 07:00 (UTC+01:00) to 20:00 at a voting station in their constituency. Voters who were either blind, disabled, or illiterate could have brought a relative to vote on their behalf at a voting station.[16]

Participants

The following list includes candidates who took part in the by-election.[17]

Campaign

According to newspaper Borba, the election reflected "the current state of the government and opposition".[22] Despite nominating its own candidate, Milošević's SPS backed Šešelj in the election by giving him election infrastructure.[23] SPS, however, denied this. According to Borba, out of all candidates, most voters attended Šešelj's campaign events.[22] During the campaign, Radio Television Belgrade presented Karaklajić, Pekić, and Marjanović on television. Šešelj was also scheduled to appear, however, he was denied entrance into the building because he was armed.[24]

Šešelj campaigned by organising election events, while Pekić presented his campaign at literary evening events, pubs, and cafés.[22] At one of his events, Pekić was joined by all DS members of parliament (MP). They presented Pekić as "a person with a clear political past" (čovek čiste političke prošlosti).[25] Šešelj campaigned on promoting privatisation, opposition to Yugoslavism, and support for Greater Serbia.[26] His candidacy was supported by the Serbian National Renewal and Serb Democratic Party.[27] On 12 June, SPS organised an event promoting Karaklajić's candidature. The event was attended by SPS officials Borisav Jović and Jovan Striković.[28]

Results

The election was conducted at 19 voting stations. The results of the first round saw Šešelj winning 56% of the popular vote; he was followed by Karaklajić, who won 15% of the popular vote.[17] In the early hours of the first round, about 20% of the voters voted in the election, while by the end of the day, the number of voters that turned out to vote rose up to 40%.[29] After the election, DS objected to the electoral rules and filed a complaint to the local election commission, which eventually rejected their complaint.[17] Considering that less than 50% of voters turned out to vote, the Election Commission called a second round for 30 June, featuring only Šešelj and Karaklajić as candidates. In the second round, Šešelj won 80% of the popular vote.[21] According to Ivan Matić, the president of the local election commission, there were no complaints filed after the second round.[30]

CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Vojislav ŠešeljSerbian Radical Party6,11756.166,68680.08
Radoš KaraklajićSocialist Party of Serbia1,69215.531,66319.92
Borislav PekićDemocratic Party1,36512.53
Jovan MarjanovićSPO–SLS–ND9688.89
Velizar ŠešerLeague of Communists – Movement for Yugoslavia2372.18
Strahinja KostićIndependent2302.11
Miodrag GojkovićParty of Independent Entrepreneurs and Peasants650.60
Jovan ČepićYU Bloc620.57
Predrag VuletićLiberal Party500.46
Milosav JovanovićWorkers' Party of Yugoslavia390.36
Milan RadojevićIndependent280.26
Miroslav TijanićIndependent250.23
Dušan MikinSerbian Royalist Bloc150.14
Total10,893100.008,349100.00
Valid votes10,89397.248,34997.61
Invalid/blank votes3092.762042.39
Total votes11,202100.008,553100.00
Registered voters/turnout27,95340.0727,93930.61
Source: Republic Electoral Commission[17][21]

Aftermath

After the election, Šešelj declared his victory as "the victory of the Serbian Radical Party and its economic, social, and political programme" (pobeda Srpske radikalne stranke i njenog ekonomskog, socijalnog i političkog programa).[30] Šešelj was sworn in as MP on 8 July.[31] During his tenure in the National Assembly, he was known for engaging in physical fights with opposition politicians.[32] In the 1992 Serbian general election, his party went onto win 73 seats in the National Assembly.[33]

Notes

  1. ^ Miodrag Bulatović of the Socialist Party of Serbia died in office.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Umro Miodrag Bulatović" [Miodrag Bulatović has died]. Borba (in Serbian). 16 March 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b Vladisavljević, Sreten (27 September 1990). "Rešenje o upisu političkih organizacija u registar političkih organizacija" [Decision on registration of political organisations in the register of political organisations]. Official Gazette of the Socialist Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). 55: 2266–2267. ISSN 0351-5613. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  3. ^ Sotirović, Vladislav B. (2010). "The Multiparty Elections in Serbia in 1990". Political Science Almanac. 1 (6): 10. ISSN 2029-0225.
  4. ^ Nikolić, Kosta (2011). "Obnavljanje parlamentarnog poretka u Srbiji 1990" [Restoration of the parliamentary order in Serbia in 1990]. Tokovi Istorije (in Serbian) (2): 143. ISSN 0354-6497.
  5. ^ Sokolović, Zoran (28 September 1990). "Odluka o raspisivanju izbora za predsednika Republike Srbije, odluka o raspisivanju izbora za narodne poslanike u Narodnu skupštinu Republike Srbije i odluka o imenovanju predsednika, sekretara, članova i zamenika članova Republičke izborne komisije" [Decision on calling for elections for the President of the Republic of Serbia, decision on calling for elections for deputies to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and decision on appointing the president, secretary, members and deputy members of the Republic Electoral Commission]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). 1: 30. ISSN 0353-8389.
  6. ^ "Ex-Communists trounce opposition in Serbian election". Chicago Tribune. 26 December 1990. p. 3. ProQuest 282971809. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  7. ^ Thomas, Robert (1998). Serbia Under Milošević: Politics in the 1990s (1 ed.). London: C. Hurst & Co. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-85065-367-7.
  8. ^ "Socijalistima 194 mesta" [Socialists got 194 seats]. Borba (in Serbian). 26 December 1990. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  9. ^ Šverko, D.; Torov, M.; Džafo, V. N.; Radovanović, I.; Milivojević, C. (12–13 January 1991). "Konstituisana višestranačka Narodna skupština Srbije: Stranačke čarke od početka" [The constituted multi-party National Assembly of Serbia: Party factions from the beginning]. Borba (in Serbian). p. 13. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  10. ^ Šverko, D.; Džafo, V. N.; Torov, M.; Radovanović, I.; Milojević, C. (16 January 1991). "Mandatar Dragutin Zelenović" [Dragutin Zelenović was given the mandate]. Borba (in Serbian). p. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  11. ^ Unković, Slobodan (9 May 1991). "Odluka o raspisivanju dopunskih izbora za narodnog poslanika u Narodnoj skupštini Republike Srbije" [Decision on calling by-elections for deputy in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian) (25). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  12. ^ Mihailović, Srećko; Jovanović, Milan (April 2008). Oko izbora 16: Predsednički izbori 20. januara i 3. februara 2008. godine [Oko izbora 16: Presidential Elections on 20 January and 3 February 2008] (PDF) (in Serbian). Belgrade: CeSID. ISBN 978-86-83491-46-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Prvi višestranački izbori (1990)" [First multi-party elections (1990)]. B92 (in Serbian). 9 March 2020. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Zakon o izbornim jedinicama za izbor narodnih poslanika" [Law on Constituencies for the Election of People's Deputies]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). 1. 28 September 1990. ISSN 0353-8389. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  15. ^ Orlović, Slaviša (2011). Partije i izbori u Srbiji: 20 godina [Parties and elections in Serbia: 20 years] (in Serbian) (1 ed.). Belgrade: Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Faculty of Political Sciences, Centre for Democracy. ISBN 978-86-84031-49-7. OCLC 785849369.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "Zakon o izbornu narodnih poslanika" [Law on the Election of People's Deputies]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). 1: 13–18. 28 September 1990. ISSN 0353-8389. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Šešelj prvi u prvom krugu" [Šešelj first in the first round]. Borba (in Serbian). 18 June 1991. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  18. ^ "Odluka o ovlašćenju izbornih komisija i biračkih odbora u izbornim jedinicama za vršenje određenih radnji u sprovođenju izbora za predsednika republike" [Decision on the authorisation of election commissions and polling boards in electoral units to perform certain actions in conducting elections for the president of the republic]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). 11: 325. 22 November 1990. ISSN 0353-8389. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Zakon o izboru predsednika republike" [The Law on the Election of the President of the Republic]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). 1 (12). 28 September 1990. ISSN 0353-8389. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  20. ^ Bohlen, Celestine (10 December 1990). "Ex-Communist Chief Takes The Lead in Serbia's Election". The New York Times. p. A6. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  21. ^ a b c d Ignjatović, Časlav (2 July 1991). "Izveštaj o ukupnim rezultatima dopunskih izbora za narodnog poslanika u izbornoj jedinici 10, Rakova I – 16. i 30. juna 1991. godine" [Report on the overall results of the by-elections for the people's deputy in electoral unit 10, Rakovica I – 16 and 30 June 1991]. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian) (40): 1525. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  22. ^ a b c Simonović, V. (11 June 1991). "Za obraz i otadžbinu" [For honor and homeland]. Borba (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  23. ^ Sejdinović, Nedim (17 November 2021). "Sa njima nema neizvesnosti" [There is no uncertainty with them]. Vreme (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Niko kao on" [No one like him]. Borba (in Serbian). 14 June 1991. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  25. ^ Mikuljanac, M.; Zelenbaba, S. (10 June 1991). "Demokrata čiste prošlosti" [Democrat of a clean past]. Borba (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  26. ^ Mikuljanac, M.; Gunić, P. (5 June 1991). "Udvaranje na srpski način" [Courtship the Serbian way]. Borba (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  27. ^ "Šešelj za poslanika" [Šešelj for MP]. Borba (in Serbian). 30 May 1991. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  28. ^ Radovanović, I. (13 June 1991). "Kad Srbije nije bilo..." [When Serbia was gone...]. Borba (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  29. ^ "Šešelj i Karaklajić "trče" drugi krug" [Šešelj and Karaklajić "are running" in the second round]. Borba (in Serbian). 17 June 1991. p. 6. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Šešelj u Parlamentu" [Šešelj in Parliament]. Borba (in Serbian). 1 July 1991. p. 28. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  31. ^ Torov, M.; Ilić, V.; Milivojević, C. (9 July 1991). "Srpski regruti samo u Jugoslaviji" [Serbian recruits only in Yugoslavia]. Borba (in Serbian). p. 9. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  32. ^ Ramet, Sabrina P. (1999). The Radical Right in Central and Eastern Europe Since 1989. Penn State University Press. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-271-01811-9.
  33. ^ Kojić, Nikola (18 February 2020). "Izbori 1992: Prvi Šešeljev milion, Arkan u parlamentu i manjinska vlada SPS" [1992 Eelections: Šešelj's first million, Arkan in the parliament, and the SPS minority government]. N1 (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
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