{{Short description|Political party in Serbia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{EngvarB|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox political party | name = Movement of Socialists | native_name = Покрет социјалиста | native_name_lang = sr | abbreviation = PS | logo = Movement of Socialists logo.png | logo_upright = 0.5 | colorcode = {{party color|Movement of Socialists}} | leader = [[Bojan Torbica]] | founder = [[Aleksandar Vulin]] | founded = {{start date|2008|8|8|df=y}} | split = [[Socialist Party of Serbia]] | headquarters = Bulevar Milutina Milankovića 120B, [[Belgrade]] | ideology = {{ubl|[[Left-wing nationalism]]|[[Social democracy]]}} | position = [[Centre-left]] | affiliation1_title = Parliamentary group | affiliation1 = [[Serbia Must Not Stop|Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia Must Not Stop]] | international = [[Sovintern]]<ref name="rli">{{cite web |website=Robert Lansing Institute |title=Moscow’s New Left: The ‘Sovintern’ Project and the Revival of Ideological Warfare |date=16 April 2026 |url=https://lansinginstitute.org/2026/04/16/moscows-new-left-the-sovintern-project-and-the-revival-of-ideological-warfare/}}</ref> | colours = {{ubl|{{colorbox|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}|border=silver}} Red|{{colorbox|#FFC142|border=silver}} Yellow}} | seats1_title = [[National Assembly (Serbia)|National Assembly]] | seats1 = {{Composition bar|2|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | seats2_title = [[Assembly of Vojvodina]] | seats2 = {{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | seats3_title = [[City Assembly of Belgrade]] | seats3 = {{Composition bar|1|110|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | flag = Flag of the Movement of Socialists.png | country = Serbia | website = {{URL|pokretsocijalista.rs}} }}
The '''Movement of Socialists''' ({{langx|sr|Покрет социјалиста|Pokret socijalista}}, abbr. '''PS''') is a [[Left-wing nationalism|left-wing nationalist]] [[List of political parties in Serbia|political party]] in [[Serbia]]. It was founded in 2008 by [[Aleksandar Vulin]], who served as the party's president until 2022 when he was succeeded by [[Bojan Torbica]].
== History == It was founded on 8 August 2008 by [[Aleksandar Vulin]], a former high-ranking member of [[Yugoslav Left]]<ref name="RTV10102023">{{cite web |title=Vučić: Zajedno zbog Srbije, izbori će biti prekretnica |url=https://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/vucic-zajedno-zbog-srbije-izbori-ce-biti-prekretnica_1258012.html |website=Radio Television of Vojvodina |access-date=10 November 2023 |language=sr |date=18 July 2021}}</ref> who left it in 1998 after perceiving the party to have "betrayed its program and became a political mask for the wealthy sitting in the party".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nacional.hr/vucicev-klaun-s-misijom-otkrivanja-neprijatelja-srbije/ |title=Vučićev klaun s misijom otkrivanja neprijatelja Srbije |newspaper=[[Nacional (weekly)|Nacional]] |date=7 April 2015 |access-date=7 December 2023 |language=hr}}</ref> It is a part of the governing coalition with the [[Serbian Progressive Party]] (SNS). It was formed by former members of the [[Socialist Party of Serbia]] because they disagreed with the [[pro-European]] policy of the party; however, it was a member of the pro-European SNS-led coalitions in the [[2012 Serbian parliamentary election|2012]] (as part of [[Let's Get Serbia Moving]] alliance) and in the [[2014 Serbian parliamentary election|2014]] Serbian parliamentary elections. In December 2022, Vulin resigned as the leader of PS after being appointed as the director of the [[Security Intelligence Agency]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 December 2022 |title=Pokret socijalista posle Vulinove ostavke vodi Bojan Torbica |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/pokret-socijalista-posle-vulinove-ostavke-vodi-bojan-torbica/ |access-date=5 December 2022 |language=sr |newspaper=[[Danas (newspaper)|Danas]]}}</ref>
== Ideology and platform == It is a self-described [[far-left politics|radical left]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 February 2015|title=Serbian Social Democracy in Transition: A View from the Periphery|url=https://eurocite.eu/en/our-publications/serbian-social-democracy-in-transition-a-view-from-the-periphery/|access-date=28 December 2021|website=EuroCité — le think tank européen progressiste|language=en-US}}</ref> or [[Left-wing politics|leftist]] political party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 December 2021 |title=Vulin pozvao SNS da kandiduje Vučića za predsednika Srbije |url=https://rtv.rs/sr_lat/politika/stranacka-hronika/vulin-pozvao-sns-da-kandiduje-vucica-za-predsednika-srbije_1299823.html |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=Radio Television of Serbia |language=sr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Petsinis|first=Vassilis|date=28 June 2017|title=Enter Serbia's 'Orbán'? Aleksandar Vučić and his catch-all politics|url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/enter-serbias-orb-n-aleksandar-vu-i-and-his-catch-all-politics/|access-date=28 December 2021|website=openDemocracy|language=en}}</ref> Observers have described it as a [[centre-left]], [[Social democracy|social-democratic]], and [[Left-wing nationalism|left-wing nationalist]] party.<ref name="RTV10102023"/><ref name=":0">{{Citation|last1=Styczyńska|first1=Natasza|title=Between the past and the future|date=27 January 2022|work=The Right-Wing Critique of Europe|pages=146–159|edition=1|place=London|publisher=Routledge|language=en|doi=10.4324/9781003226123-14|isbn=978-1-003-22612-3|last2=Dajč|first2=Haris|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Alvarado|first=Jose|date=11 January 2019|title=Assessing Serbian enthusiasm for EU membership|url=https://europeelects.eu/2019/01/11/assessing-serbian-enthusiasm-for-eu-membership/|access-date=5 February 2022|website=Europe Elects|language=en-US}}</ref> Its foreign policy views are [[Euroscepticism|Eurosceptic]] and [[Anti-Western sentiment|anti-Western]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 May 2018|title=Vulin: Razmisliti o promeni politike|url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vulin-razmisliti-o-promeni-politike/|access-date=5 February 2022|newspaper=[[Danas (newspaper)|Danas]] |language=sr-RS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=5 September 2019|title=Aleksandar Vulin: Znam da je razgraničenje dobro čim se Zapad protivi|url=https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/politika/aktuelno.289.html:816591-Aleksandar-Vulin-Znam-da-je-razgranicenje-dobro-cim-se-Zapad-protivi|access-date=5 February 2022|website=[[Večernje novosti|Novosti]] |language=sr}}</ref> PS is supportive of further cooperation with China and Russia.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Styczyńska |first=Natasza |date=29 November 2021 |title=Who Are Belgrade's Most Desired Allies?: Narrative on the European Union, China and Russia during Serbian Parliamentary Campaign of 2020 |url=https://journals.akademicka.pl/politeja/article/view/3968 |journal=Politeja |volume=18 |issue=4(73) |pages=85–96 |doi=10.12797/Politeja.18.2021.73.05 |issn=2391-6737|doi-access=free }}</ref>
It was created as a party vehicle for Vulin,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dedeić|first=Siniša|date=12 July 2021|title=Vulinova stranka "borbene levice" i "razočaranih socijalista"|url=https://www.istinomer.rs/analize/vulinova-stranka-borbene-levice-i-razocaranih-socijalista/|access-date=5 February 2022|website=Istinomer|language=sr-RS}}</ref> who has been described as a [[Nationalism|nationalist]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=2 May 2019|title=Zašto su Albanci za Vulina 'Šiptari'?|url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/vulin-albanci-siptari/29916944.html|access-date=5 February 2022|website=Radio Slobodna Evropa|language=sh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 July 2021|title=Ko je psihopata koji širi mržnju i strah: Vulin nekada bio zakleti ateista i revolucionar, danas veliki pravoslavac i nacionalista|url=https://www.aktuelno.me/region/ko-je-psihopata-koji-siri-mrznju-i-strah-vulin-nekada-je-bio-zakleti-ateista-i-revolucionar-danas-veliki-pravoslavac-i-nacionalista/|access-date=5 February 2022|website=Aktuelno|language=bs-BA}}</ref> and has expressed [[Greater Serbia|irredentist]] views.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 April 2021|title=Vulin: Nacionalno pitanje rešiti ujedinjenjem Srba u jednoj državi|url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/vulin-nacionalno-pitanje-resiti-ujedinjenjem-srba-u-jednoj-drzavi/|access-date=5 February 2022|website=N1|language=sr-RS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=18 July 2021|title=Vulin: "Srpski svet" jedan državni prostor, ostvarićemo ga bez ispaljenog metka|url=https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/vulin-srpski-svet-jedan-drzavni-prostor-ostvaricemo-ga-bez-ispaljenog-metka/|access-date=5 February 2022|website=N1|language=sr-RS}}</ref> In 2022, PS proclaimed the "[[Serbian world]]" idea as its primary political idea and goal.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pokretsocijalista.rs/srpski-svet/ |title=SRPSKI SVET |trans-title=SERBIAN WORLD |publisher=www.pokretsocijalista.rs |date=25 June 2022 |access-date=12 November 2023}}</ref> It has been also described as a [[Bloc party (politics)|satellite party]] of the ruling [[Serbian Progressive Party]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Panović|first=Zoran|date=3 October 2021|title=Vučić i nacionalna levica|url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/demostat/vucic-i-nacionalna-levica/|access-date=5 February 2022|newspaper=[[Danas (newspaper)|Danas]] |language=sr-RS}}</ref>
In an opinion article, Miloš Baković Jadžić, {{As of|2023|alt=now}}-leader of the Political Platform [[Solidarity (Serbia)|Solidarity]] and member of the party [[Together (Serbia)|Together]], criticised PS by describing it as a [[conservatism|conservative]] and [[neoliberalism|neoliberal]] party "with nothing in common with progressive left-wing politics but its name, symbolism, occasional rhetoric and a somewhat radical program," having engaged in active anti-worker and anti-progressive politics.<ref name="bilten2">{{cite web |last=Baković Jadžić |first=Miloš |date=18 December 2014 |title=Pokret socijalista: socijalna demagogija, neoliberalna politika |trans-title= |url=https://www.bilten.org/?p=3866 |access-date=20 March 2023 |publisher=Bilten |language=sr}}</ref> Sociologist [[Jovo Bakić]] has also disputed the leftism of PS due to "their support for the nationalistic and neoliberal policies".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ristić |first=Irena |title=Resetting the Left in Europe: challenges, attempts and obstacles |url=http://iriss.idn.org.rs/564/ |publisher=Institute of Social Sciences |year=2021 |isbn=978-86-7093-245-6 |location=Belgrade |pages=247 |id={{COBISS.SR|43960585}}}}</ref> Political theorist [[Srećko Horvat]] noted PS' participation in the governing coalition's "harsh neoliberal measures, including [[pension]] cuts, [[public sector]] wage cuts, [[deregulation]] and [[Labour market flexibility|labor market flexibilization]]" and [[Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy (Serbia)|minister]] Vulin's direct responsibility for "one of the worst new [[labor law]]s" that had been passed in Serbia in 2014. He further discredited the party as having nothing to do with [[socialism]] or left-wing politics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Horvat |first=Srećko |author-link=Srećko Horvat |date=15 December 2014 |url=https://www.portalnovosti.com/cipras-u-sohou |title=Cipras u Sohou |website=[[Novosti (Croatia)|Novosti]] |access-date=10 November 2023}}</ref>
In 2015, Vulin said that he was opposed to same-sex marriage and that, as minister for social policy, he would never sign a law making it possible.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ilga-europe.org/files/uploads/2022/04/annual-review-2016.pdf|title=Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in Europe 2016|publisher=ILGA-Europe|date=May 2016|accessdate=15 September 2023|page=148}}</ref>
== Organisation == Its headquarters are at Bulevar Milutina Milankovića 120B in [[Belgrade]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Izvod iz registra političkih stranaka |trans-title=Extract from the Register of Political Parties |url=https://mduls.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/Izvod-iz-Registra-politickih-stranaka-13.12.2022..pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221151640/https://mduls.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/Izvod-iz-Registra-politickih-stranaka-13.12.2022..pdf |archive-date=21 December 2022 |access-date=27 January 2023 |publisher=[[Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government]] |page=6 |language=sr}}</ref>
=== List of presidents === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! colspan="2"| {{No.}} ! colspan="2"| President ! Born–Death ! Term start ! Term end |- ! 1 ! style="background:{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}"| | [[Aleksandar Vulin]] || [[File:Aleksandar Vulin (cropped 1).jpg|100x100px]] || 1972– || 7 August 2008 || 5 December 2022 |- ! 2 ! style="background:{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}"| | [[Bojan Torbica]] || || 1974– || 5 December 2022 || Incumbent |}
== Electoral performance == === Parliamentary elections === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ [[National Assembly of Serbia]] ! Year ! Leader ! Popular vote ! % of popular vote ! {{No.}} ! # of seats ! Seat change ! Coalition ! Status ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! [[2012 Serbian parliamentary election|2012]] | rowspan="5"| [[Aleksandar Vulin]] | 940,659 | 25.16% | {{increase}} 1st | {{Composition bar|1|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | {{increase}} 1 | [[SNS coalition|PS]] | {{yes2|Government}} |<ref name="izbori2012">{{cite book |last1=Vukmirović |first1=Dragan |url=http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/doc/arhiva/poslanici/2012/3.%202012%20np%20rzs.pdf |title=Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije i za predsednika Republike Srbije |date=2012 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-021-9 |location=Belgrade |page=9 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and for the President of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207165915/https://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/doc/arhiva/poslanici/2012/3.%202012%20np%20rzs.pdf |archive-date=7 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! [[2014 Serbian parliamentary election|2014]] | 1,736,920 | 49.96% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|3|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | {{increase}} 2 | [[SNS coalition|BKV]] | {{yes2|Government}} |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vukmirović |first1=Dragan |url=http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/doc/arhiva/poslanici/2014/3.%20Publikacija%20statistike%202014%20np%20rzs.pdf |title=Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije |date=2014 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-108-7 |location=Belgrade |page=9 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101022321/http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/doc/arhiva/poslanici/2014/3.%20Publikacija%20statistike%202014%20np%20rzs.pdf |archive-date=1 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! [[2016 Serbian parliamentary election|2016]] | 1,823,147 | 49.71% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|3|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | {{steady}} 0 | [[SNS coalition|SP]] | {{yes2|Government}} |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kovačević |first1=Miladin |url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2016/Pdf/G20166001.pdf |title=Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije |date=2016 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-154-4 |location=Belgrade |page=9 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214192056/https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2016/Pdf/G20166001.pdf |archive-date=14 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! [[2020 Serbian parliamentary election|2020]] | 1,953,998 | 63.02% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|3|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | {{steady}} 0 | [[SNS coalition|ZND]] | {{yes2|Government}} |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kovačević |first1=Miladin |url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2020/Pdf/G20206003.pdf |title=Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije |date=2020 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-193-3 |location=Belgrade |page=9 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214192106/https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2020/Pdf/G20206003.pdf |archive-date=14 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! [[2022 Serbian parliamentary election|2022]] | 1,635,101 | 44.27% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|2|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | {{decrease}} 1 | [[SNS coalition|ZMS]] | {{partial|Support}} |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kovačević |first1=Miladin |url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2022/Pdf/G20226010.pdf |title=Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije |date=2022 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-221-3 |location=Belgrade |page=7 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214192056/https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2022/Pdf/G20226010.pdf |archive-date=14 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! [[2023 Serbian parliamentary election|2023]] | [[Bojan Torbica]] | 1,783,701 | 48.07% | {{steady}} 1st | {{Composition bar|2|250|{{party color|Movement of Socialists}}}} | {{steady}} 0 | [[SNS coalition|SNSDS]] | {{yes2|Government}} |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kovačević |first1=Miladin |title=Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije |date=2024 |publisher=Republički zavod za statistiku |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-6161-252-7 |page=8–9 |access-date=22 June 2024 |language=sr |url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2024/Pdf/G20246006.pdf}}</ref> |}
{{Graph:Chart | width = 120 | type = rect | colors = #E62020 | xAxisTitle = Elections | xAxisAngle = -40 | x = 2012, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022, 2023 | yAxisTitle = % of popular vote | y = 25.16, 49.96, 49.71, 63.02, 44.27, 48.07 }}
<timeline> ImageSize = width:600 height:70 PlotArea = width:500 height:50 left:20 bottom:20
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2008 till:31/12/2024 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2008 Legend = columns:3 left:40 top:75 columnwidth:90
Colors = id:Government value:green legend:Government id:Opposition value:red legend:Opposition id:Support value:yellow legend:Support
Define $dx = 25 Define $dy = -1
PlotData=
bar:Govern. color:blue width:25 mark:(line,black) align:center
from:07/08/2008 till:27/07/2012 shift:($dx,$dy) color:Opposition from:27/07/2012 till:26/10/2022 shift:($dx,$dy) color:Government from:26/10/2022 till:02/05/2024 shift:($dx,$dy) color:Support from:02/05/2024 till:end shift:($dx,$dy) color:Government </timeline>
=== Presidential elections === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ [[President of Serbia]] ! Year ! Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round popular vote ! % of popular vote ! colspan="2" | 2nd round popular vote ! % of popular vote ! Notes ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! [[2012 Serbian presidential election|2012]] | [[Tomislav Nikolić]] | {{no2|2nd}} | 979,216 | 26.22% | {{yes2|1st}} | 1,552,063 | 51.16% | style="text-align: left"| Supported Nikolić |<ref name="izbori2012"/> |- ! [[2017 Serbian presidential election|2017]] | rowspan="2"| [[Aleksandar Vučić]] | {{yes2|1st}} | 2,012,788 | 56.01% | {{n/a}} | ''—'' | ''—'' | rowspan="2" style="text-align: left"| Supported Vučić |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kovačević |first1=Miladin |url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2017/Pdf/G20176003.pdf |title=Izbori za predsednika Republike Srbije |date=2017 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-164-3 |location=Beograd |page=9 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for the President of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126005604/https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2017/Pdf/G20176003.pdf |archive-date=26 January 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! [[2022 Serbian presidential election|2022]] | {{yes2|1st}} | 2,224,914 | 60.01% | {{n/a}} | ''—'' | ''—'' |<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kovačević |first1=Miladin |url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2022/Pdf/G20226009.pdf |title=Izbori za predsednika Republike Srbije |date=2022 |publisher=[[Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|Republički zavod za statistiku]] |isbn=978-86-6161-220-6 |location=Belgrade |page=7 |language=sr |trans-title=Elections for the President of the Republic of Serbia |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214192338/https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2022/Pdf/G20226009.pdf |archive-date=14 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://pokretsocijalista.rs/ Official website] {{Serbian political parties}}
[[Category:2008 establishments in Serbia]] [[Category:Anti-Western sentiment]] [[Category:Centre-left parties in Europe]] [[Category:Eurosceptic parties in Serbia]] [[Category:Left-wing nationalist parties]] [[Category:Political parties established in 2008]] [[Category:Social democratic parties in Serbia]]