Serbia elects new government led by Djuro Macut amid continued political unrest

Serbia’s parliament elected a new government on Wednesday, led by political newcomer Djuro Macut, following months of student-led anti-corruption protests that led to the collapse of the previous administration.

The Balkan nation has faced significant political unrest since former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and other senior officials resigned in January after protests erupted over a railway station disaster that claimed 16 lives.

“Serbia is tired of divisions and blockades,” Macut, an endocrinologist, said as he presented the proposed cabinet to parliament. The new government includes 20 members from the previous administration, including key figures such as the finance, interior, and defense ministers.

During the parliamentary debate, Aleksandar Jovanovic, a member of parliament from the opposition Ecological Uprising movement, criticized the cabinet. “You look more like a second-hand government than a new one,” he said.

‘Government shuffle would worsen ongoing crisis’

The opposition has argued that the government shuffle would only exacerbate the ongoing crisis and has called for the establishment of a transitional government to pave the way for new elections.

One of the most contentious appointments was that of the education minister, a position that has been at the heart of recent protests and teacher strikes. The new nominee, a political analyst with close ties to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party of President Aleksandar Vucic, was heavily criticized by the opposition.

The Ministry of Information will be led by Boris Bratina, a figure known for his opposition to Serbia’s EU membership. In 2009, Bratina publicly burned the EU flag at a rally.

“Politically and ideologically, this government appears to be more of a continuation than a break from the previous one,” said political analyst Bojan Klacar.

New PM with no prior political experience

Macut, who has no prior political experience, was involved only in the creation of a new pro-government political movement launched by Vucic on Saturday. The movement, yet to be named, was introduced at a Belgrade rally, which an independent counting group estimated drew 55,000 attendees, though Vucic claimed 145,000.

Despite the debate over the turnout numbers, Klacar noted that “the participation, energy, and message weren’t as strong as he had hoped.” However, he acknowledged that Vucic’s political allies had managed to stabilize their position to some extent.

“They had been on the defensive for a long time, but this rally helped them reclaim political ground,” Klacar said, referring to the months of protests sparked by the November 1 Novi Sad railway station tragedy.