Osnovi reforme izbornog sistema : slučaj Srbije
Basics of electoral system reform: the case of Serbia

Author(s): Dejan D. Bursać
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, Civil Society, Governance, Public Administration, Government/Political systems, Electoral systems, Politics and Identity
Published by: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju
Keywords: Electoral reform in Serbia; Elections boycott; Proportional electoral system; Voter registration; Remote and distance voting; Parliament ; Representation of women and minorities; Territorial representation; Presidential election; Electoral system types
Summary/Abstract: Reality sometimes overtakes scientific research and academic debate. Although the topic of this monograph goes beyond just one in a sea of ​​electoral cycles, the events of the elections held in Serbia on December 17, 2023 significantly influenced the return of the narrative about the need for electoral reform to the domestic public. It certainly contributes to the topicality of this book. Election conditions as one of the important political issues in Serbia have been present in the public discourse for several years - at least since before the 2020 elections and the announced, and then realized, boycott of most opposition parties; while the need for change or at least serious reform of the electoral system has been discussed in academic circles for two decades. Despite this, the electoral system that has been in force in Serbia since October 2000 has proven to be extremely resilient. Its consequences are often extreme, both from the point of view of electoral actors, and from the point of view of the wider institutional and social framework, which we will discuss in a series of chapters below. The proportional electoral system with closed lists and the entire country as one electoral unit is rare in comparative practice and is applied, with greater or lesser variations, by only a few countries around the world, but in Serbia last year it celebrated its anniversary, since it was applied in equal ten consecutive parliamentary election cycles.

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