Civic Democratic Party (Serbia) Explained

Civic Democratic Party
Native Name:	Грађанска демократска партија Građanska demokratska partija
Native Name Lang:	sr
Abbreviation:	GDP
President:	Miroslav Ilić
Headquarters:	Vojvode Putnika 4, Novi Sad
Position:	Centre
Predecessor:	Vojvodina's Party (legal)
Successor:	Movement of Free Citizens (legal)
National:	Serbia Against Violence
Country:	Serbia

The Civic Democratic Party (Serbian: Грађанска демократска партија|Građanska demokratska partija; abbr. ГДП / GDP) was a Serbian political party that existed from 2023 to 2024. It joined the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition on 3 November 2023 and took part in Serbia's December 2023 elections.^[1] Its leader was Dr. Miroslav Ilić.^[2]

The GDP was closely associated with the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG). All GDP-endorsed candidates who were elected in the 2023 Serbian parliamentary election and the 2023 Belgrade City Assembly election were members of the PSG, and both of the GDP-endorsed candidates elected in the 2023 Vojvodina provincial election later joined the PSG. (The PSG was not a registered political party at the time of the 2023 elections and, from the standpoint of Serbia's electoral law, could not formally endorse its own candidates.)

The GDP merged outright into the Movement of Free Citizens after the 2023 elections, giving its party registration to the PSG.

History

The Civic Democratic Party came into existence in late 2023, when Vojvodina's Party (VP) permitted the new party to take its official registration.^[3] In October 2023, the GDP entered an alliance with the Movement of Free Citizens and various citizens' groups in Vojvodina.^{[4] [5]}

When the GDP joined the Serbia Against Violence coalition the following month, Novi Sad's Radio 021 observed that the party was not generally known to the public.^[6]

2023 Serbian parliamentary election

The GDP received nine places on the SPN's electoral list in the 2023 Serbian parliamentary election.^[7] The list won sixty-five seats, and the three GDP-endorsed candidates who appeared in the top sixty-five positions were elected: Anna Oreg (#15), Pavle Grbović (#34), and Vladimir Pajić (#50).^{[8] [9]} All were members of the Movement of Free Citizens.

2023 Vojvodina provincial election

The SPN coalition won thirty seats in the 2023 Vojvodina provincial election. Two GDP-endorsed candidates were elected: party leader Miroslav Ilić (#10) and Svetlana Kozić (#27). Kozić was the leader of the local Kikinda political initiative "Banat je u pravu" (Banat Is Right), which was also aligned with the PSG.^{[10] [11]}

After the GDP merged into the Movement of Free Citizens, Ilić became the leader of the PSG's Vojvodina provincial board, and Kozić became the leader of its municipal board in Kikinda.^{[12] [13]}

2023 local elections

The SPN coalition won forty-three seats in the 2023 Belgrade City Assembly election. Three of the coalition's successful candidates were PSG members who held endorsements from the GDP: Stefan Simić (#12), Jelena Banjac (#26), and Ivana Mandić (#39).^{[14] [15] [16] [17]}

Candidates endorsed by the GDP were also elected in other cities.

After the 2023 elections

In early 2024, the Civic Democratic Party permitted the Movement of Free Citizens to take over its party registration and ceased to exist as a separate organization.^[18]

Notes and References

1. https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/otkrivamo-sta-pise-u-koalicionom-sporazumu-liste-srbija-protiv-nasilja/ Vojislav Milovančević and Nataša Latković, "OTKRIVAMO Šta piše u koalicionom sporazumu liste 'Srbija protiv nasilja'"
2. https://www.021.rs/story/Novi-Sad/Vesti/359245/Srbija-protiv-nasilja-u-borbi-za-Vojvodinu-Ko-su-Novosadjani-na-opozicionoj-listi.html Gorica Nikolin, "'Srbija protiv nasilja' u borbi za Vojvodinu: Ko su Novosađani na opozicionoj listi?"
3. See ИЗВОД ИЗ РЕГИСТРА ПОЛИТИЧКИХ СТРАНАКА, Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Government of Serbia, 21 August 2023, p. 11, accessed 8 April 2023; and ИЗВОД ИЗ РЕГИСТРА ПОЛИТИЧКИХ СТРАНАКА, Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Government of Serbia, 11 October 2023, p. 14, accessed 8 April 2023.
4. https://pokretslobodnih.rs/saopstenja-i-vesti/psg-potpisao-sporazume-o-zajednickom-delovanju-sa-vise-lokalnih-organizacija/ "PSG potpisao sporazume o zajedničkom delovanju sa više lokalnih organizacija"
5. https://www.021.rs/story/Info/Misljenja-i-intervjui/362034/Velika-izborna-analiza-Sta-ciniti.html Predrag Đurić, "Velika izborna analiza: Šta činiti?"
6. https://www.021.rs/story/Novi-Sad/Vesti/359245/Srbija-protiv-nasilja-u-borbi-za-Vojvodinu-Ko-su-Novosadjani-na-opozicionoj-listi.html Gorica Nikolin, "'Srbija protiv nasilja' u borbi za Vojvodinu: Ko su Novosađani na opozicionoj listi?"
7. https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/aleksic-djilas-i-zeleno-levi-front-zauzeli-skoro-dve-trecine-liste-srbija-protiv-nasilja-ponos-bolje-prosao-od-ds/ "Aleksić, Đilas i Zeleno-levi front zauzeli skoro dve trećine liste Srbija protiv nasilja, Ponoš bolje prošao od DS"
8. https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/otkrivamo-sta-pise-u-koalicionom-sporazumu-liste-srbija-protiv-nasilja/ Vojislav Milovančević and Nataša Latković, "OTKRIVAMO Šta piše u koalicionom sporazumu liste 'Srbija protiv nasilja'"
9. https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/objavljen-spisak-ko-su-sve-kandidati-za-poslanike-liste-srbija-protiv-nasilja/ "Objavljen spisak: Ko su sve kandidati za poslanike liste 'Srbija protiv nasilja'?"
10. https://pik.skupstinavojvodine.gov.rs/Strana/izborneliste2023?izbori=2023 АРХИВА: ИЗБОРИ 2023 – ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ КАНДИДАТА ЗА ПОСЛАНИКЕ (Изборна листа 7 СРБИЈА ПРОТИВ НАСИЉА – МАРИНИКА ТЕПИЋ – МИХАИЛО БРКИЋ (СТРАНКА СЛОБОДЕ И ПРАВДЕ, НАРОДНИ ПОКРЕТ СРБИЈЕ, ЗЕЛЕНО-ЛЕВИ ФРОНТ, НЕ ДАВИМО БЕОГРАД, ЕКОЛОШКИ УСТАНАК – ЋУТА, ДЕМОКРАТСКА СТРАНКА, ПОКРЕТ СЛОБОДНИХ ГРАЂАНА, СРБИЈА ЦЕНТАР, ЗАЈЕДНО, ПОКРЕТ ЗА ПРЕОКРЕТ, УДРУЖЕНИ СИНДИКАТИ СРБИЈЕ „СЛОГА“, НОВО ЛИЦЕ СРБИЈЕ))
11. https://pokretslobodnih.rs/saopstenja-i-vesti/psg-potpisao-sporazume-o-zajednickom-delovanju-sa-vise-lokalnih-organizacija/ "PSG potpisao sporazume o zajedničkom delovanju sa više lokalnih organizacija"
12. https://pokretslobodnih.rs/saopstenja-i-vesti/dr-miroslav-ilic-osudujemo-pretnje-dekanki-filozofskog-fakulteta-ivanki-zivancevic-sekeris/ "Dr Miroslav Ilić – Osuđujemo pretnje dekanki Filozofskog fakulteta Ivanki Živančević Sekeruš"
13. https://pokretslobodnih.rs/saopstenja-i-vesti/psg-kikinda-proveriti-biracke-spiskove-u-svim-gradovima-i-opstinama-pred-lokalne-izbore/ "PSG Kikinda – Proveriti biračke spiskove u svim gradovima i opštinama pred lokalne izbore"
14. https://www.rik.parlament.gov.rs/dokumenta/41985/document-type-2/election-round-0/additional-document-1/municipality-id-0/election-station-0/order-2/sort-1 Election Commission Documents (Локални 2023 - Београд – 3. ИЗБОРНA ЛИСТA КАНДИДАТА ЗА ОДБОРНИКЕ СКУПШТИНЕ ГРАДА БЕОГРАДА СРБИЈА ПРОТИВ НАСИЉА – ДОБРИЦА ВЕСЕЛИНОВИЋ – ПРОФ. ДР ВЛАДИМИР ОБРАДОВИЋ (СТРАНКА СЛОБОДЕ И ПРАВДЕ, НАРОДНИ ПОКРЕТ СРБИЈЕ, ЗЕЛЕНО-ЛЕВИ ФРОНТ, НЕ ДАВИМО БЕОГРАД, ЕКОЛОШКИ УСТАНАК – ЋУТА, ДЕМОКРАТСКА СТРАНКА, ПОКРЕТ СЛОБОДНИХ ГРАЂАНА, СРБИЈА ЦЕНТАР, ЗАЈЕДНО, ПОКРЕТ ЗА ПРЕОКРЕТ, УДРУЖЕНИ СИНДИКАТИ СРБИЈЕ „СЛОГА“, НОВО ЛИЦЕ СРБИЈЕ))
15. https://demostat.rs/sr/vesti/ekskluziva/da-pitamo-partije-pokret-slobodnih-gradana-lista--srbija-protiv-nasilja-/1939 Marija Stojanović, "Da pitamo partije - Pokret slobodnih građana, lista 'Srbija protiv nasilja'"
16. https://pokretslobodnih.rs/saopstenja-i-vesti/jelena-banjac-ulaganje-u-obrazovanje-je-ulaganje-u-buducnost/ "Jelena Banjac – Ulaganje u obrazovanje je ulaganje u budućnost"
17. https://pokretslobodnih.rs/predsednistvo/ivana-mandic/ Ivana Mandić
18. See ИЗВОД ИЗ РЕГИСТРА ПОЛИТИЧКИХ СТРАНАКА, Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Government of Serbia, 11 October 2023, p. 14, accessed 8 April 2023; and ИЗВОД ИЗ РЕГИСТРА ПОЛИТИЧКИХ СТРАНАКА, Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Government of Serbia, 28 March 2024, p. 14.