Coalition for Peace and Tolerance

The Coalition for Peace and Tolerance (Serbian: Коалиција за мир и толеранцију, romanized: Koalicija za mir i toleranciju, abbr. KZMT) is a political coalition in Serbia, consisting of political parties that advocate minority interests. Formed in April 2023, KZMT participated in the 2023 Serbian parliamentary election under the name "Together for the Future and Development – Coalition for Peace and Tolerance", with Jahja Fehratović of For the Future and Development as its main representative. It failed to cross the threshold.

Coalition for Peace and Tolerance Коалиција за мир и толеранцију Koalicija za mir i toleranciju
Abbreviation	KZMT
President	Jahja Fehratović
Founded	26 April 2023
Ideology	Minority interests Regionalism
National Assembly	0 / 250
Politics of Serbia Political parties Elections

History

Formation

A group of political parties and organisations that advocate minority interests, which included Democratic Party of Macedonians (DPM), Vlach National Party (VNS), Hungarian Civic Alliance (MPSZ), Tolerance of Serbia (TS), Bosniak Civic Party (BGS), Party of Montenegrins (SCG), and Vojvodina Movement (VP), held a meeting in Pančevo on 26 April 2023.^[1] The parties and organisations formed the Coalition for Peace and Tolerance (KZMT) and announced that they would take part in the upcoming provincial, local, and parliamentary elections.^[1] KZMT held its first press conference on 15 May at the Association of Journalists of Serbia, also with the presence of the "We Need You" association.^[2][3] At the press conference, they revealed "we are building the future together" (budućnost gradimo zajedno!) as its slogan.^[2]

2023 elections

Following the formation of KZMT, Jahja Fehratović also left the Justice and Reconciliation Party (SPP).^[4] Fehratović accused SPP of being subdued to "personal interests, populism, and small and mundane actions".^[4] Fehratović continued to serve in the National Assembly of Serbia as an independent member.^[4] Later in October, Fehratović announced the formation of the For the Future and Development (ZZBR).^[5] He said that his party would be based on the principles of traditional values, spirituality, and rule of law, and that it would include the founders of the SPP, a party he co-founded with Muamer Zukorlić.^[5]

Parliamentary and local elections were called on 1 November and the provincial election was called on 16 November, setting 17 December 2023 as the date for the elections.^[6][7] KZMT subsequently announced that it would contest the parliamentary and local elections with Fehratović's ZZBR under the name "Together for the Future and Development – Coalition for Peace and Tolerance".^[8][9] Besides ZZBR, the signatories of the 10 November coalition agreement included VNS, MPSZ, TS, BGS, SC, VP, Democratic Union of Croats, Civic Party of Greeks of Serbia, Union of Yugoslavs, Union of Female Roma Network and Non-Roma Network of Serbia, and Union of Banat Romanians.^[8][9] Fehratović was also named as its main representative and as its ballot holder for the parliamentary election.^[8]

KZMT's electoral list was initially declined on 18 November by the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK).^[10] KZMT collected 6,093 signatures of support in total but RIK confirmed that only 4,937 collected signatures are valid.^[11] On the same day, KZMT collected 436 more valid signatures and RIK confirmed its electoral list and gave it the status of a minority list due to all parties that compose the election being registered ethnic minority parties.^[12] The KZMT electoral list contains 60 candidates.^[13] KZMT's electoral list for local elections in Novi Pazar was confirmed on 23 November.^[14] Writer Zehnija Bulić was announced as its ballot holder for the local election in Novi Pazar.^[14] KZMT failed to cross the threshold for the parliamentary election.^[15]

Ideology and platform

In a report after its formation, KZMT said that "our name [...] clearly defines us as a political option that fights against conflict, hatred, intolerance, divisions and quarrels".^[1] KZMT also presented its "three points" which includes the "Scandinavianisation of the Balkans, democratisation of the political system, and the protection and promotion of the rights of national minorities".^[1] KZMT defined its ideology as pacifist, pragmatic, humanist, tolerant, and solidary.^[1] KZMT supports the accession of Serbia to the European Union, cooperation with NATO, and opposes sanctions on Russia.^[16]

Members

Current composition

Name		Leader	Main ideology	National Assembly
	For the Future and Development (ZZBR)	Jahja Fehratović	Bosniak minority interests	0 / 250
	Vlach National Party (PNR/VNS)	Predrag Balašević	Vlach minority interests	0 / 250
	Hungarian Civic Alliance (MPSZ/GSM)	László Rác Szabó	Hungarian minority interests	0 / 250
	Democratic Union of Croats (DZH)	Marinko Prćić	Croat minority interests	0 / 250
	Tolerance of Serbia (TS)	Jasminko Hadžisalihović	Secular humanism	0 / 250
	Bosniak Civic Party (BGS)		Bosniak minority interests	0 / 250
	Party of Montenegrins (SCG)	Marijana Ivović Vukotić	Montenegrin minority interests	0 / 250
	Vojvodina Movement (VP)	Robert Karan	Vojvodina autonomism	0 / 250
	Civic Party of Greeks of Serbia (PKTTS/GSGS)	Vassilios Proveleggios	Greek minority interests	0 / 250
	Union of Yugoslavs (SJ)	Goran Miladinović	Yugoslav minority interests	0 / 250
	Union of Female Roma Network and Non-Roma Network of Serbia (UŽRNMS)	Rukija Bektešević	Roma minority interests	0 / 250
	Union of Banat Romanians (UBR)	Aleksandar Balan	Romanian minority interests	0 / 250

Former members

Name		Leader	Main ideology
	Democratic Party of Macedonians (DPM)	Maja Georgievska	Macedonian minority interests
	We Need You (TNT)	Ljubomir Zrnić	Anti-corruption

Electoral performance

Parliamentary elections

National Assembly

Year	Leader		Popular vote	% of popular vote	#	# of seats	Seat change	Status	Ref.
	Name	Party
2023	Jahja Fehratović	ZZBR	6,786	0.18%	16th	0 / 250	1	Extra-parliamentary	[17]

References

1. Mihajlović Jovanović, Suzana (28 April 2023). "Formira se Koalicija za mir i toleranciju" [The Coalition for Peace and Tolerance has been formed]. NG Portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 November 2023.
2. "Formiranje Koalicije za mir i toleranciju" [The formation of the Coalition for Peace and Tolerance]. Association of Journalists of Serbia (in Serbian). 15 May 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
3. "Formira se nova politička grupacija "Koalicija za mir i toleranciju"" [A new political group "Coalition for Peace and Tolerance" is being formed]. NOVA portal (in Serbian). 11 May 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
4. Novosel, Slađana (5 May 2023). "Najbliži saradnik Zukorlića, Jahja Fehratović napustio SPP" [The closest associate of Zukorlić, Jahja Fehratović, left SPP]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 November 2023.
5. "Fehratović osniva Stranku budućnosti i razvoja" [Fehratović founds the Party of the Future and Development]. Infolid (in Serbian). 30 October 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
6. "Vučić raspisao vanredne parlamentarne izbore za 17. decembar" [Vučić announced snap parliamentary elections for 17 December]. N1 (in Serbian). 1 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
7. "Raspušta se pokrajinski parlament" [The provincial parliament has been dissolved]. N1 (in Serbian). 16 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
8. Spalović, Dejan (10 November 2023). "Formirana manjinska izborna lista "Zajedno za budućnost i razvoj – koalicija za mir i toleranciju"" [Formed minority electoral list "Together for the Future and Development – Coalition for Peace and Tolerance"]. Politika (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 November 2023.
9. Novosel, S. (10 November 2023). "Fehratović u Koaliciji za mir i toleranciju" [Fehratović in the Coalition for Peace and Tolerance]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 November 2023.
10. "RIK: Koaliciji za mir i toleranciju nedostaje 63 potpisa za proglašenje liste" [RIK: The Coalition for Peace and Tolerance lacks 63 signatures to announce the list]. Tanjug (in Serbian). 18 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
11. "RIK: Koaliciji za mir i toleranciju nedostaje 63 potpisa za proglašenje liste" [RIK: The Coalition for Peace and Tolerance lacks 63 signatures to announce the list]. Tanjug (in Serbian). 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
12. "RIK: Proglašena izborna lista "Zajedno za budućnost i razvoj – koalicija za mir i toleranciju"" [RIK: "Together for the Future and Development – Coalition for Peace and Tolerance" electoral list announced]. N1 (in Serbian). 18 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
13. "Proglašena lista "Zajedno za budućnost i razvoj – koalicija za mir": Evo ko je sve na njoj" [The list "Together for the Future and Development – Coalition for Peace" has been proclaimed: Here is who is on it]. 021.rs (in Serbian). 19 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
14. Kočović, Nikola (23 November 2023). "Novi Pazar: Proglašena lista "Zajedno za budućnost i razvoj"" [Novi Pazar: "Together for the Future and Development" list announced]. Radio Sto Plus (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 November 2023.
15. "CeSID i IPSOS obradili 99,8 odsto uzorka: SNS-u 128 mandata, SPN-u 65" [CeSID and IPSOS processed 99.8 percent of the sample: SNS 128 mandates, SPN 65]. N1 (in Serbian). 18 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
16. "Protivimo se sankcijama bilo kojoj državi" [We oppose sanctions against any country]. Politika (in Serbian). 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
17. Kovačević, Miladin (2024). Izbori za narodne poslanike Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije (PDF) (in Serbian). Belgrade: Republički zavod za statistiku. p. 8–9. ISBN 978-86-6161-252-7. Retrieved 22 June 2024.