Serbian election authorities on Thursday annulled the votes cast at a handful of polling stations amid allegations of irregularity, in a move that could significantly impact parliamentary elections held last weekend. The vote will be repeated in at least 15 polling stations, affecting around 18,000 of the 6.7 million registered voters. The election commission was also reviewing dozens of other complaints and recounting ballots from as many as 100 polling stations. Although the voided votes make up a tiny fraction of national total, they may be vital to two parties that stand to be eliminated if they do not pass Serbia‘s 5-per-cent threshold. The election authority‘s decision also means the final result can only be announced after the vote is repeated.
With 98 per cent of the ballots counted, Conservative Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic‘s Progressive Party (SNS) has 48.2 per cent of the vote, as much as in previous elections two years ago. The ruling party has already secured its majority with 131 of the 250 seats in parliament, albeit with 27 seats fewer than before the elections.
According to Serbia‘s electoral system, any votes cast for parties that do not pass the 5-per-cent mark are distributed among those parties that do. In previous elections, the SNS benefited from a large number of non-qualifiers, while on Sunday a surprising seven parties cleared the mark, leaving very few votes allocated for redistribution.
Full Article: Serbia election outcome hinges on handful of voided votes | EUROPE ONLINE.
