Wikipedia

Workers' Party (Serbia)

The Workers' Party (Serbian: Радничка партија, romanized: Radnička partija, abbr. RP) is a political party in Serbia. It is led by Željko Veselinović, a member of the National Assembly of Serbia formerly affiliated with the Party of Freedom and Justice. Founded in 2026, it declares itself to be in favour of expanding the rights of workers', pensioners, farmers, and students. It supports the accession of Serbia to the European Union, while declaring itself to be Eurosceptic. The RP is represented in the National Assembly and Assembly of Vojvodina.

Workers' Party
Радничка партија
AbbreviationRP
PresidentŽeljko Veselinović
FounderŽeljko Veselinović
Founded6 February 2026 (2026-02-06)
Registered27 April 2026 (2026-04-27)
Split fromParty of Freedom and Justice
HeadquartersNušićeva 6/3, Belgrade
Ideology
Parliamentary groupRP–RS–USS
Colours  Red
National Assembly
3 / 250
Assembly of Vojvodina
2 / 120
City Assembly of Belgrade
0 / 110
Website
radnickapartija.rs

History

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Background and formation

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Željko Veselinović is the president of the United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" who was elected to the National Assembly of Serbia on the quota of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) in the 2023 Serbian parliamentary election. Together with Đorđo Đorđić, he left the SSP parliamentary group in October 2024.[1] Veselinović and Đorđić announced the formation of a new Workers' Party (RP), with Veselinović stating that he believes that no political party in Serbia truly concentrates on workers' rights.[2] They were followed by MPs Sonja Pernat and Irena Živković on 19 November.[3] Together they formed a parliamentary group in the National Assembly.[4] The RP began collecting signatures in December 2024.[5] The opposition Serbia Centre political party alleged that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) helped the RP collect signatures needed for the registration of the party in Leskovac.[6] Veselinović denied this.[7]

The RP was officially formed on 6 February 2026.[8] Members of the Sloga parliamentary group took part in the negotations related to early parliamentary elections, led by president of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić in April.[9] In response to this, Pernat and Slavica Radovanović left their parliamentary group.[10] Veselinović went on to form a parliamentary group with the pro-government parties Russian Party and United Peasant Party soon after.[11] Veselinović claims that their cooperation is on technical and practical level.[12] On 27 April, the RP was registered as a political party. Veselinović said that their path to registering the party was obstructed by both the government and the opposition.[13]

Activities

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The RP announced their participation in the parliamentary elections,[13] as well as the creation of local boards and a broad coalition for the elections.[12] It has denied participating in the coalition electoral list led by the SNS.[14] Despite this, Branislava Pandurov, who serves in the City Assembly of Novi Sad, is part of the SNS-led parliamentary group, but claims it is only on technical terms.[15]

Ideology and platform

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The RP declares itself to be in favour of expanding the rights of workers', pensioners, farmers, and students. They drafted a new Labour Law, which would bring a 35-hour workweek in Serbia.[13] The RP declares itself to be Eurosceptic while still supporting the accession of Serbia to the European Union, partly due to its perceived respect for human and workers' rights. It opposes the recognition of Kosovo, while supporting retaining ties with Russia and especially China.[14] Veselinović criticised neoliberalism and endorsed left-wing policies.[12] While still in formation, the RP denied that it would cooperate with the SNS.[16] Their MPs also announced that they would vote against the formation of the cabinet of Đuro Macut.[17]

Vladimir Pejić of Faktor Plus and Đorđe Vukadinović of Nova srpska politička misao argued that there was a political space for a workers' rights party, though the newspaper Danas noted that the relatively minor Party of the Radical Left exists.[18] The political scientist Zoran Stojiljković stated that the founders have to be cautious due to the failed experiment of the Labour Party of Serbia (LPS), reminding that it received less votes in the 2003 Serbian parliamentary election than it collected for it to be registered as a political party.[19] In an interview with Danas, Veselinović, however, said that the RP will not follow the failures of the LPS, which was the political arm of the Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions.[14]

Organisation

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The RP is led by Veselinović.[20] Its headquarters are at Nušićeva 6/3 in Belgrade.[8] Their MPs include Veselinović, Đorđić, and Živković.[21] The RP is also represented in the Assembly of Vojvodina by Mileta Jurkić and Gabriela Visinger and in the City Assembly of Novi Sad by Pandurov.[22] According to Veselinović, about €35,000 to €40,000 were spent on the registration of the party.[14]

List of presidents

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# President Birth–Death Term start Term end
1 Željko Veselinović1974–6 February 2026Incumbent

References

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  1. ↑ "Željko Veselinović i Đorđo Đorđić napustili poslaničku grupu SSP-a" [Željko Veselinović and Đorđe Đorđić left the SSP parliamentary group]. Danas (in Serbian). 28 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  2. ↑ Ilić, Mladen (29 October 2024). "Veselinović i Đorđić objasnili zašto su napustili poslanički klub Đilasove SSP" [Veselinović and Đorđić explained why they left the Đilas's SSP parliamentary group]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  3. ↑ Bečki, Anika (19 November 2024). "Poslanice koje su napustile poslanički klub SSP: Nismo smele da izrazimo drugačije mišljenje, do kraja godine formiramo stranku" [Female deputies who left the SSP parliamentary group: We were not allowed to express a different opinion, we are forming a party by the end of the year]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  4. ↑ "Zvanično formirana poslanička grupa Pokret radnika Sloga - Da se struka pita" [The Movement Sloga – Experts Should Have A Say parliamentary group is officially founded]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 22 November 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  5. ↑ "Veselinović ponovo predsednik "Sloge", pokreću osnivanje Radničke partije" [Veselinović is again the president of Sloga, they will begin forming the Workers' Party]. N1 (in Serbian). 7 December 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "SRCE: SNS skuplja potpise za Radničku partiju stranku u Leskovcu. Dat nalog iz opštinske uprave" [SRCE: SNS collects signatures for the Workers' Party party in Leskovac. Given an order from the municipal administration]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). 26 March 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  7. ↑ Jelovac, Jelena (26 March 2025). "Oglasio se Željko Veselinović nakon navoda da SNS skuplja potpise za Radničku partiju" [Željko Veselinović came forward after allegations that SNS was collecting signatures for the Workers' Party]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Izvod iz registra političke stranke". Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026. Politička partija: Radnička partija
  9. ↑ "Vučić nastavlja konsultacije: Na redu SNS i "Sloga"" [Vučić continues consultations: Next is SNS and "Sloga"]. Danas (in Serbian). 9 April 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Veselinović o sastanku sa Vučićem: Ne mogu da shvatim neke kolege, i Hitler i Staljin su razgovarali" [Veselinović on the meeting with Vučić: I can't understand some colleagues, and Hitler and Stalin talked]. Danas (in Serbian). 9 April 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "U Skupštini Srbije formirana još jedna poslanička grupa" [Another parliamentary group was formed in the Serbian Parliament]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). 29 April 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 "Radnička partija: Nismo fantomska lista" [Workers' Party: We are not a phantom list]. 021.rs (in Serbian). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 "Veselinović: Radnička partija izlazi na izbore" [Veselinović: The Workers' Party is going to the elections]. Danas (in Serbian). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Valtner, Lidija (5 May 2026). "Željko Veselinović: Nećemo ponoviti greške Laburističke partije Srbije" [Željko Veselinović: We will not repeat the mistakes of the Labour Party of Serbia]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Milenković, Mirjana R. (20 June 2026). "Branislava Pandurov za Danas nakon napuštanja Grupe građana "Heroji – Miša Bačulov": Sa naprednjacima imam neku vrstu tehničke saradnje" [Branislava Pandurov for Danas after leaving the Citizens' Group "Heroji - Miša Bačulov": I have some kind of technical cooperation with the Progressives]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  16. ↑ ""Nećemo imati ništa sa SNS, o Đilasu neću reći nijednu ružnu reč": Oglasili se poslanici koji su napustili poslanički klub SSP" ["We will have nothing to do with SNS, I will not say a single bad word about Đilas": MPs who left the SSP parliamentary group announced]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). 29 October 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  17. ↑ Valtner, Lidija (31 March 2025). "Ko (ne)će glasati za novu "Vučićevu vladu"?" [Who will (not) vote for the new "Vučić government"?]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Valtner, Lidija (29 October 2024). "Hoće li Veselinović i Đorđić pogoditi radnički živac?" [Will Veselinović and Đorđić strike a chord with the workers?]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  19. ↑ Ilić, Mladen (16 November 2024). ""Mali broj pluseva i puno upitnika": Kako će najavljena radnička partija dopreti do radnika?" ["A small number of positives and a lot of question marks": How will the announced workers' party reach the workers?]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "Srbija dobila još jednu političku stranku" [Serbia got another political party]. Danas (in Serbian). 4 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  21. ↑ "Željko Veselinović, Đorđo Đorđić i Irena Živković napravili poslaničku grupu sa poslanikom sa liste SNS i liderom Ruske stranke" [Željko Veselinović, Đorđo Đorđić and Irena Živković formed a parliamentary group with a member of parliament from the SNS list and the leader of the Russian Party]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). 30 April 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  22. ↑ "Dvoje pokrajinskih poslanika i novosadska odbornica napustili SSP, prelaze u Radničku partiju" [Two provincial deputies and a councilwoman from Novi Sad left the SSP and are moving to the Workers' Party]. Danas (in Serbian). 6 December 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
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