Democratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party (Serbian: Demokratska Stranka) is a political party in Serbia. It used to be part of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, the coalition that deposed Slobodan Milošević.
After the 2003 elections, it became the third largest party in the National Assembly of Serbia, with 34 of 250 seats. It also has 13 seats of 126 in the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro.It ran in an alliance with the Civic Alliance of Serbia which it accorded 5 seats according to a pre-election deal, Democratic Center was also accorded 5 seats and the Social-Democrat Union was accorded one seat. The party is not a part of the minority government (under Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica), which took office in March 2004 after a dispute over whether the new government should accept support of Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia or not. The political orientation of the party is centrist, more or less liberal, but it is affiliated to the Socialist International.
After assassination of Zoran Djindjic, Boris Tadic took over as head of the party. In July 2004, he became the President of Serbia.
Policies
The Democratic Party's program states that:
- They support parliamentary democracy.
- Public administration and public services should be professional and depoliticized. Public service needs to be effective and respectful of its users.
- Government institutions should be cheap to maintain.
- The government should be checked by independent judicature and independent media.
- They support decentralization of government, both territorialy and fuctionally. Powers should be delegated to self-governing bodies whenever possible. Vojvodina should be truly autonomous.
- Acts of government should be transparent and monitored by the public.
- Participation of the people is essential, but governmental institutions need to be accessible.
- They support European integration.
- Government needs to ensure conditions in which businesses can operate freely.
- They support small and medium businesses, family owned businesses and independent farmers.
- There should be no discrimination based on sex, physical appearence, faith, beliefs or location.
- They support middle class.
- Government needs to invest in education, as well as transportation, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure.
- They support social solidarity.
- Government should maintain welfare programs.
- They encourage creation of unions.
See also
External links
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