Serbian Presidential Election Awaits Vucic's Decision

Aleksandar Vucic I Photo by: Beta/Milos Miskov

Speculation that Aleksandar Vucic will stand for the Serbian presidency mounted on Friday when the vice-president of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party, Milos Vucevic, announced that would propose Vucic as the party's candidate for the elections, expected in March or April.

"If Vucic doesn't propose a different name, I will recommend him as the presidential candidate, because this campaign boils down to him," Vucevic said.

If the ruling party does indeed propose Vucic, one person who will be left disappointed is Serbia's current President, Tomislav Nikolic, who is also a member of the same party.

Nikolic last week said he hoped to get the support of the Progressives for another mandate as head of state.

Nikolic won the election in 2012 as the candidate of the Progressives in a tight race with Boris Tadic. On several occasions he has said he expects the support of the Progressives once again, and is convinced he has the support of a majority in the party.

"I founded it [the Serbian Progressive Party] and I believe it is the strongest party," he told the Belgrade based Kurir.

Some media reports have suggested that Nikolic could run for president even without the support of the Progressives.

But Socialist leader Ivica Dacic, head of the most important coalition partner of the Progressives, on Friday called the idea "nonsense".

"I will personally with all my energy support Vucic and he will win in the first round," Dacic predicted to Serbia's public broadcaster RTS.

Vucic has not commented on his potential candidacy recently, but did warn that he would quit as Prime Minister if the candidate of the Progressives did not win, rejecting the possibility of political cohabitation.

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