Democratic Party (Serbia) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Democratic Party Демократска странка Demokratska stranka
Abbreviation	DS
President	Zoran Lutovac
Deputy President	Dragana Rakić
Vice-Presidents	Branimir Jovančićević Miodrag Gavrilović Nenad Mitrović
Parliamentary leader	Zoran Lutovac
Founder	The Founding Committee of the Democratic Party
Founded	3 February 1990
Registered	27 July 1990
Headquarters	Nušićeva 6/II, Belgrade
Newspaper	Bedem
Youth wing	Democratic Youth
Women's wing	Women's Forum
Ideology	Social democracy
Political position	Centre-left
National affiliation	Serbia Against Violence
European affiliation	Party of European Socialists (associate)
International affiliation	Progressive Alliance Socialist International
Colours	Yellow      Blue
National Assembly	8 / 250
Assembly of Vojvodina	2 / 120
City Assembly of Belgrade	2 / 110
Party flag

The Democratic Party (Serbian Cyrillic: Демократска странка, romanized: Demokratska stranka; , abbr. DS) is a social democratic political party in Serbia. It is one of the oldest parties in the country. Zoran Lutovac has been the party's president since 2018. People sometimes call the party žuti (yellows) because yellow is one of its main colors.

The DS was started in 1990 by a group of smart people. They wanted to bring back the old Democratic Party from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Dragoljub Mićunović was the first president of DS. Under his lead, the party got seats in the Serbian Parliament. They also joined protests against the government at the time.

Later, Zoran Đinđić became president in 1994. He helped the DS join different groups of parties. The DS was part of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) in 2000. This group won the election that year. The president at the time did not want to accept the results. This led to big protests, and he was removed from power.

The DS took power in Serbia after winning the parliamentary elections in December 2000. Zoran Đinđić became the prime minister. Sadly, he was killed in March 2003. Boris Tadić then became the president of DS. Tadić also became the president of Serbia in 2004. The DS was in power again from 2007 to 2012, often working with other parties.

In 2012, the DS lost to the Serbian Progressive Party and became an opposition party. Since then, the party has had several leaders, including Dragan Đilas, Bojan Pajtić, and Dragan Šutanovac. In 2018, Zoran Lutovac became the president. He led the DS back into the National Assembly in the 2022 election.

The DS started as a party that welcomed many different ideas. It supported a market economy and workers' rights. Over time, it became more socially liberal and focused on Serbia joining Europe. Today, the DS is a centre-left party. It supports social democracy, which means it believes in fairness, equality, and helping people. Many of its supporters are educated and believe in being open-minded and against authoritarianism (when one person or group has too much power). The DS is part of international groups like the Party of European Socialists.

History of the Democratic Party

How the Party Started

Dragoljub Mićunović was the first president of the Democratic Party (DS) from 1990 to 1994.

On December 11, 1989, a group of smart people announced they were bringing back the Democratic Party. This party had existed in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia until 1945. The people who started it said they were "re-founding" it, not creating a brand new party.

At that time, Yugoslavia was a one-party state. So, the DS was the first non-communist opposition party in the country. The party held its first meeting on February 3, 1990, in Belgrade. Dragoljub Mićunović became the first president. Some members wanted the party to be more nationalistic, while others, like Mićunović, were more liberal.

The DS was first officially registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina in March 1990. This was because Serbia did not yet have a law for multiple political parties. The party was later registered in Serbia on July 27, 1990.

Early Years: 1990–1993

After it started, the DS began publishing its own newspaper called Demokratija (Democracy). They also created a youth wing called Democratic Youth.

In September 1990, Mićunović was re-elected president. The DS decided to take part in the 1990 Serbian parliamentary election. Some members disagreed and left the party, saying the elections would not be fair. Even though the DS won 7% of the votes, they only got 7 seats in the Parliament. This was because of the election rules that favored the ruling party.

In March 1991, the DS joined big protests in Belgrade. They demanded changes to the state television. Later, in 1992, Serbia became part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The DS did not take part in the May 1992 federal elections, saying they were not fair. Instead, they organized more protests.

In December 1992, the DS decided to join the federal parliamentary election and won 5 seats. They also supported Milan Panić for president of Serbia. He came in second. In 1993, Zoran Đinđić became more important in the party. He led the DS in the 1993 parliamentary election. The party won 29 seats, a big increase. However, the DS remained in opposition.

Đinđić Takes the Lead: 1994–2000

Zoran Đinđić led the Democratic Party into several opposition groups before winning the 2000 elections as part of the DOS coalition.

On January 25, 1994, Zoran Đinđić was elected president of the DS. Mićunović resigned from his position. Đinđić changed how the party worked, making it less academic and more practical.

In 1996, the DS formed a group called "Together" with other parties. They took part in the local elections and won in big cities like Belgrade. But the election commission said the results were not valid. This led to huge protests in 1996–1997. After the protests, Đinđić became the mayor of Belgrade.

The "Together" group broke up before the 1997 elections. The DS and some other parties decided not to take part in these elections. In 1998, the DS joined a new group called the Alliance for Change. This group later became part of a bigger alliance, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS), in January 2000.

In 2000, the president of Yugoslavia changed the rules for the presidential election. The DOS group chose Vojislav Koštunica as their candidate. He won in the first round. However, the president at the time refused to accept the results. This led to massive protests on October 5, 2000, and he was removed from power. The DOS then won the parliamentary election in December 2000, getting 176 out of 250 seats.

After Milošević: 2001–2004

After Zoran Đinđić was killed, Boris Tadić was elected president of the Democratic Party and later president of Serbia in 2004.

In January 2001, Zoran Đinđić became the prime minister of Serbia. His government worked to fight organized crime and corruption. Sadly, on March 12, 2003, Đinđić was killed.

Zoran Živković took over as prime minister and acting president of the DS. In the 2003 presidential election, the DS supported Mićunović. He came in second, but the election was canceled because not enough people voted.

The DS then decided to hold new parliamentary elections in December 2003. The DS joined with other parties. They won 37 seats, but the DS itself got 22 seats. This meant the DS was back in opposition.

In February 2004, Boris Tadić was elected president of the DS. His party then nominated him for president of Serbia in the June 2004 election. Tadić won in the second round, becoming the president of Serbia.

Tadić's Time: 2005–2012

Boris Tadić led the Democratic Party into a coalition government with the Socialist Party of Serbia in 2008. The party went into opposition after the 2012 elections.

During his time as president, Boris Tadić apologized to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia for Serbia's role in past conflicts. He worked to improve Serbia's relationships with Western countries. He was re-elected as DS president in 2006.

In 2007, the DS joined a new government coalition. Tadić was re-elected president of Serbia in 2008. After this, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. This caused a political problem in the government. Tadić then called for new parliamentary elections in May 2008.

Before the election, the DS formed a group called "For a European Serbia." They wanted Serbia to join the European Union. This group came in first, winning 102 seats. The DS itself won 64 seats. After the election, the DS formed a government with the Socialist Party of Serbia. They agreed to work on joining the European Union, fighting crime, and helping people.

The DS-led government faced challenges like the global financial crisis. In 2011, another party, the Serbian Progressive Party, organized protests asking for new elections. Tadić agreed, and elections were held in May 2012. The DS led a group called "Choice for a Better Life." They focused on helping the economy. They came in second, winning 67 seats, with the DS getting 49. In the presidential election, Tadić lost to Tomislav Nikolić.

After the 2012 elections, the DS went into opposition. Dragan Đilas became the new president of the DS in November 2012. Some members left the party during this time.

Challenges and Changes: 2013–2017

In January 2013, some members were expelled from the DS. The party's support among the public also dropped. In September 2013, Dragan Đilas was removed as mayor of Belgrade. This led to some members asking him to resign as party president, but he stayed.

Boris Tadić left the DS in January 2014 because he disagreed with the party's leadership. He then started a new party. The DS took part in the 2014 parliamentary election with other parties. They won 19 seats, with the DS getting 17.

In May 2014, Bojan Pajtić was elected president of the DS. Dragan Đilas later left the party. In March 2016, new parliamentary elections were called. The DS formed a group called "For a Just Serbia." They won 16 seats, with the DS getting 12. After the election, Dragan Šutanovac became the new president of the DS in September 2016.

In 2017, the DS supported Saša Janković in the presidential election. He came in second. After the election, Janković started his own movement.

Lutovac's Leadership: 2018–Present

Zoran Lutovac has been the president of the Democratic Party since 2018.

In April 2018, Zoran Lutovac was elected president of the DS. He announced that the DS would work with other opposition groups. In September 2018, the DS joined a group called the Alliance for Serbia. Some older members of the DS did not agree with joining this group.

In November 2018, the Alliance for Serbia organized large protests against the government. In January 2019, the DS announced it would not attend sessions of the National Assembly. They said the government was not allowing fair discussions. The DS also signed an agreement to boycott the 2020 parliamentary election if conditions were not fair.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the DS's party meeting was postponed. Some members tried to hold their own leadership election, causing a split in the party. However, the government officially recognized Lutovac as the legal president of the DS.

In July 2021, Lutovac was re-elected president. The DS then joined a new group called "United for the Victory of Serbia" for the 2022 election. They won 14% of the votes, and the DS got 10 seats. After the election, this group broke up.

After a school shooting and mass murder in May 2023, the DS helped organize large protests. In October 2023, the DS joined a new group called Serbia Against Violence (SPN). This group took part in the December 2023 elections. SPN won 65 seats, and the DS got 8 of those.

What the Democratic Party Believes In

Early Ideas: Mićunović and Đinđić Years

When it first started, the DS was a party with many different ideas. It had members who were liberals and others who were more against communism. The party also had different views on nationalism.

The DS supported a mixed economy, which means a mix of private businesses and some government involvement. They wanted to create a modern market economy and for Serbia to join the European Community. The DS also supported a democratic system with many parties and human rights. They believed in a federal Yugoslavia, where different parts had some self-rule, to help keep peace.

Some experts said the DS was centrist or centre-right when it started. This was because it supported a free market and a smaller role for the government. After 1993, the DS used less anti-communist talk.

Under Zoran Đinđić, the DS became more flexible and practical. It became the main party against the government after 1998. The DS supported giving back private property that was taken by the state. They also supported the right to work and trade union rights. The DS wanted Serbia to be closer to Western countries and to join the international community.

Tadić's Vision

Democratic Party officials at a gathering dedicated to Serbia gaining candidate status for European Union membership.

After Đinđić was killed, the DS tried to become a social democratic party. Some experts said it moved towards social liberalism. Others described it as a centrist party.

Boris Tadić described himself as a liberal. During his time, the DS was the main party that supported Serbia joining Europe. They also promoted privatisation to help Serbia's economy grow. The DS's shift towards social democracy began around 2007.

The DS under Tadić was seen as internationalist and pro-Western. They believed that the political status of Kosovo should be solved through talks. They also tried to have good relationships with both the U.S. and Russia. Just before the 2012 elections, Serbia became a candidate for European Union membership.

The DS also worked to attract voters from ethnic minority groups. They supported improving living standards and balanced development across regions. They also wanted an independent group to fight corruption in the justice system.

Modern Views: Post-Tadić Era

After 2012, the DS moved further to the left and now calls itself social democratic. Experts also describe it as a centre-left party. The current leader, Zoran Lutovac, describes himself as a leftist.

The DS has been an opposition party since 2012. It has criticized the government's stance on Kosovo. However, it supported the Brussels Agreement in 2013, which aimed to improve relations between Serbia and Kosovo. In 2023, the DS opposed the Ohrid Agreement, saying it did not protect Serbia's interests in Kosovo.

When Dragan Đilas led the DS in 2014, he promised free textbooks for students and full pay for pregnant women. He also wanted to increase wages for healthcare workers and help retired people. The DS is against jadarite mining and signed an agreement to ban lithium mining in Serbia in 2021.

The DS says it supports "the most progressive ideas." This means they want to protect workers, minorities, and the environment. They also support guaranteed rights to healthcare, education, and pensions. The DS has shown strong support for the LGBT community and condemned violence against them. They supported hosting 2022 EuroPride in Belgrade.

Who Supports the Democratic Party

In the 1990s, many DS supporters wanted a "citizen state" over a "nation state." This means they valued individual rights more than ethnic identity. DS supporters were often young people from cities. They came from the middle and upper classes. Many were intellectuals, technicians, or worked in private businesses.

After 2000, DS voters believed in democratic values. They were often less religious and against too much government control. They supported political changes. In 2005, most DS supporters thought Serbia should rely on the European Union for its foreign policy. Before the 2008 elections, most supporters were pro-European.

In 2012, most DS voters were women under 50. They usually had a high school or university degree. Many were workers, officials, or technicians. By 2014, 80% of DS supporters were female, and most were under 50. They were also open to different ideas and against authoritarianism and nationalism. By 2016, most DS supporters were younger than 40. Research in 2020 found that DS supporters saw themselves as socially progressive.

How the Democratic Party is Organized

As of May 2023, the DS is led by Zoran Lutovac, who became president in 2018. Dragana Rakić is the deputy president. Branimir Jovančićević, Miodrag Gavrilović, and Nenad Mitrović are vice-presidents. Zoran Lutovac also leads the party's group in the National Assembly.

The DS has its main office in Belgrade. From 1990 to 1998, they published a newspaper called Demokratija. Since 2021, they have published Bedem. The party has a youth wing called Democratic Youth and a women's wing called Women's Forum. Any adult citizen of Serbia can join the DS if they are not already a member of another party. In 2013, the DS had almost 200,000 members.

The DS has local branches in cities and towns. It also has a special branch in Vojvodina. The party has different groups that help it run, like a main board, a presidency, and an ethics committee. The president of the DS is in charge of leading the party.

Many other political parties have been formed by people who left the DS over the years.

Working with Other Countries

The DS has been a member of the Socialist International since 2003. This is a worldwide group of social democratic, socialist, and labor parties. In 2006, it also became a partner member of the Party of European Socialists. This is a group of social democratic parties in Europe. The DS is also connected to the Progressive Alliance, another international group. Its youth wing is part of the Young European Socialists.

DS leaders often meet with politicians from other countries to discuss cooperation. For example, in 2014, the DS president met with officials from China and other European social democratic parties to talk about economic relations. In 2017, the DS president met with the leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia to discuss working together in the region and joining the European Union.

List of Presidents

#		President		Birth–Death	Term start	Term end
1		Dragoljub Mićunović		1930–	3 February 1990	25 January 1994
2		Zoran Đinđić		1952–2003	25 January 1994	12 March 2003 (killed)
–		Zoran Živković (acting)		1960–	12 March 2003	22 February 2004
3		Boris Tadić		1958–	22 February 2004	25 November 2012
4		Dragan Đilas		1967–	25 November 2012	31 May 2014
5		Bojan Pajtić		1970–	31 May 2014	24 September 2016
6		Dragan Šutanovac		1968–	24 September 2016	2 June 2018
7		Zoran Lutovac		1964–	2 June 2018	Incumbent

Election Results

National Assembly Elections

National Assembly of Serbia

Year	Leader	Popular vote	% of popular vote	#	# of seats	Seat change	Coalition	Status	Ref.
1990	Dragoljub Mićunović	374,887	7.78%	3rd	7 / 250	7	–	Opposition
1992		196,347	4.42%	4th	6 / 250	1	–	Opposition
1993		497,582	12.06%	4th	29 / 250	23	–	Opposition
1997	Zoran Đinđić	Did not participate			0 / 250	29	–	Extra-parliamentary
2000		2,402,387	65.69%	1st	45 / 250	45	DOS	Government
2003	Boris Tadić	481,249	12.75%	3rd	32 / 250	13	DS–GSS–SDU–LZS	Opposition
2007		915,854	23.08%	2nd	60 / 250	28	DS–SDP–DSHV	Government
2008		1,590,200	39.25%	1st	64 / 250	4	ZES	Government
2012		863,294	23.09%	2nd	49 / 250	15	IZBŽ	Opposition
2014	Dragan Đilas	216,634	6.23%	3rd	17 / 250	32	DS–DSHV–Nova–BS	Opposition
2016	Bojan Pajtić	227,589	6.20%	5th	12 / 250	5	DS–Nova–DSHV–ZZS–ZZŠ	Opposition
2020	Zoran Lutovac	Did not participate			0 / 250	12	SZS	Extra-parliamentary
2022		520,469	14.09%	2nd	10 / 250	10	UZPS	Opposition
2023		902,450	24.32%	2nd	8 / 250	2	SPN	0TBA

Presidential Elections

Federal Parliamentary Elections

Year	Leader	Popular vote	% of popular vote	#	# of seats	Seat change	Coalition	Status	Notes	Ref.
May 1992	Dragoljub Mićunović	Did not participate			0 / 136	0	–	Extra-parliamentary		–
1992–1993		280,183	6.32%	4th	5 / 138	5	–	Opposition
1996	Zoran Đinđić	969,296	23.77%	2nd	22 / 138	17	Together	Opposition	Coalition Together won 22 seats in total
2000		2,040,646	43.86%	1st	58 / 138	36	DOS	Government	DOS won 58 seats in total
		2,092,799	46.23%	1st	10 / 40	10	DOS	Government	DOS won 10 seats in total

Federal Presidential Elections

See also

In Spanish: Partido Demócrata (Serbia) para niños