and to the Serb Progressive Party (SNS), the clear winner of the elections, with 48.3% of the popular vote and 158 seats in the 250-member parliament.

Libor Rouček, S&D vice-president for neighbourhood and enlargement policies, said:

"The SNS received one of the strongest electoral mandates possible in a democratic society. It now faces a historic responsibility to use this mandate in a responsible and inclusive manner to accelerate Serbia's path toward Europe. We encourage the newly elected leadership of Serbia to move decisively on reforms to the rule of law, the fight against corruption and modernising the economy, as part of the EU accession negotiations. The current momentum must also be sustained in the dialogue on normalising relations with Pristina. 

"It is, however, essential that the SNS-led government does its utmost to avoid any impression of centralising power unduly and reaches out to all segments of Serbian society – including opposition parties – to build a broad consensus around the reform process and EU integration. Inclusiveness and consensus-building is especially important in situations where the ruling party commands an absolute majority: this is at the heart of European and democratic values."