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We Must (Serbia)

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We Must (Serbian Cyrillic: Морамо, romanized: Moramo; stylised as MORAMO,) was an opposition electoral alliance that participated in the 2022 Serbian general elections.

We Must
Морамо
Moramo
Representatives
Founded19 January 2022 (2022-01-19)
Dissolved2022
Ideology
Political positionCentre-left to left-wing
European affiliationEuropean Green Party
Party of the European Left (cooperation)
Colours  Green   Purple
Website
moramo.rs

Initially formed in November 2021, when Together for Serbia (ZZS), Do not let Belgrade drown (NDB) and Ecological Uprising (EU) signed an agreement to participate in the 2022 general election under a joint list, it was formalised as a coalition in January 2022. Its representatives had previously played a major role during the 2021–2022 environmental protests. The coalition won 4.7% of the popular vote and managed to cross the electoral threshold, while its presidential candidate, Biljana Stojković, won 3.3% of the popular vote.

Following the election, a part of the coalition transformed into the Together political party in June 2022 and We Must ceased to exist. Throughout the 2022 campaign period, We Must has stylised itself as a "green-left coalition". We Must had received support from parties affiliated with the European Green Party and Party of the European Left.

History

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Background and formation

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Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta, an activist and co-founder of the "Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina" organisation, organised and took part in environmental protests in January and April 2021.[1][2] Around 60 environmental organisations took part in a protest in April, while the protests later continued after September.[3][4] The Do not let Belgrade drown (NDB) movement, represented by Dobrica Veselinović and Radomir Lazović, and Together for Serbia (ZZS), led by Nebojša Zelenović, supported the environmental protests, and they formed a connection shortly after.[5][6] The protests reached climax in late November and early December 2021, and they were regularly organised up till 15 February 2022.[7][8] Zelenović formed the "Action", a political group built around ZZS that included 28 environmental civic groups that supported the "Green Agreement for Serbia", in June 2021.[9] Lazović later presented a proposal for cooperation between opposition parties with Zelenović in September 2021.[10] The media later dubbed the coalition between Ćuta, Lazović, and Zelenović as the "green-left bloc".[11][12]

A cooperation agreement between Zelenović and Ćuta was signed in November 2021; additionally, they had announced a joint cooperation in the 2022 general election.[13][14] On 19 January 2022, the coalition was formalised under the name We Must.[15][16] During the presentation, it was announced that Ćuta would be head the parliamentary ballot list, Veselinović would head the Belgrade City Assembly ballot list, while Zelenović would represent the parliamentary ballot list.[17] Zelenović stated that the members of the coalition had applied for the membership in the European Greens, and he cited the Spanish Podemos as the inspiration.[17]

2022 election and aftermath

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The We Must coalition held its first campaign rally in Gornje Nedeljice on 27 February, where they had announced Biljana Stojković as their presidential candidate.[18][19] The coalition also campaigned throughout other locations in Serbia.[20][21] The Slovenian The Left party stated its support for We Must in late March.[22] The coalition won 4.7% of the popular vote and 13 seats in the National Assembly, while Stojković won 3.3% of the popular vote in the presidential election.[23][24] Following the elections, Ćuta and Zelenović announced the formation of a joint political party, later revealed as Together.[25][26] It was also announced that Stojković, Ćuta, and Zelenović would serve as co-leaders.[27] During the same period, a conflict emerged due to the dispute over the coalition's name. NDB had claimed the name as its intellectual property, although it later withdrew the request that it had sent to the Intellectual Property Office (ZIS).[28] Lazović argued that the intellectual property would be the property of the coalition, and not NDB.[29] During an interview in June, Zelenović had affirmed that the coalition still exists.[28] In late June, Together held a meeting with Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) and Zdravko Ponoš; NDB did not participate.[30] We Must split into two parliamentary groups during the first constitutive session of the thirteenth convocation of the National Assembly on 1 August. Zelenović stated that the Together parliamentary group would send an initiative regarding the ban of lithium and boron. NDB had stated that they would continue their cooperation with Together within the We Must coalition, while they would also serve in opposition and decline any cooperation with the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS).[31] In a December 2022 interview, Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta has confirmed that We Must does not exist anymore.[32]

Ideology and position

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The We Must coalition was formed by the Together for Serbia (ZZS), Do not let Belgrade drown, and the Ecological Uprising movement, led by Ćuta, that emphasised their support towards green politics.[33] During their founding conference, its representatives stated that they would represent green-left values,[15] and that some of their main goals would include the abandonment of Rio Tinto's plan to excavate lithium in Serbia, and to defeat the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the 2022 election.[16][34] Zelenović also stated that "it is necessary for Serbia to join the green transformations, otherwise it would remain a place for dirty technologies, cheap labor and colonization", and that Serbia should be more orientated towards the European Union and the Western world.[35][36] Its leaders had stated support for "social justice and basic needs for every citizen", and had also commented that "we must overcome the authoritarian regimes in the Balkans".[37] Moramo condemned the request of Dveri to cancel EuroPride in July 2022.[38]

The We Must coalition has also been described as "the new faces of the opposition's left-wing",[39] and were compared to the Croatian We can! party and the Montenegrin United Reform Action.[17][40] The coalition cooperates with the European Greens,[41] while it had also received support from the European Left during the 2022 electoral campaign.[42] Political parties such as the German Die Linke, Danish Red–Green Alliance and Slovenian Levica had also voiced its support for We Must.[43]

Members

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The coalition was also made up of the Local Front and the Forum of Romani People of Serbia.[15]

Name Leader Main ideology National Assembly Vojvodina Assembly Belgrade Assembly
Together Collective leadership Green politics
8 / 250
0 / 120
3 / 110
Do not let Belgrade drown NDB Collective leadership Green politics
5 / 250
0 / 120
10 / 110

Electoral performance

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Parliamentary elections

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National Assembly
Year Leader Popular vote % of popular vote # of seats Seat change Government
2022 Nebojša Zelenović 178,733 4.84%
13 / 250
   13 Opposition

Presidential elections

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President of Serbia
Election year Candidate 1st round 2nd round Results
Name Party # Votes % Votes # Votes % Votes
2022 Biljana Stojković Ind. 122,378 3.30% — Lost  N

Belgrade City Assembly

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City Assembly of Belgrade
Year Leader Popular vote % of popular vote # of seats Seat change Government
2022 Dobrica Veselinović 99,078 11.04% (3rd)
13 / 110
   13 opposition

References

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  1. ^ Spasić, Vladimir (10 January 2021). "Održan protest za bezopasan vazduh: građani traže Srbiju bez smoga". Balkan Green Energy News (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  2. ^ Dejanović, M. (10 March 2021). "ORSP: Protest "Ekološki ustanak" 10. aprila u Beogradu". Južne vesti (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  3. ^ Komarčević, Dušan (10 April 2022). "Ekološki protest u Beogradu: Traži se obustava projekata štetnih po životnu sredinu". Radio Free Europe (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  4. ^ Spasić, Vladimir (13 August 2021). "Protest Ustanak za opstanak - narod protiv Rio Tinta zakazan za 11. septembar u Beogradu". Balkan Green Energy News (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  5. ^ Latković, Nataša (18 August 2021). "Opozicija će podržati Ekološki ustanak 11. septembra". NOVA portal (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  6. ^ Valtner, Lidija (5 July 2021). "S kim bi Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta na izbore, a ko bi s njim?". Danas (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Rio Tinto lithium mine: thousands of protesters block roads across Serbia". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 5 December 2021. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Police cordon stops environmental activists' march". N1 (in Serbian). 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Osnovana otvorena građanska platforma "Akcija"". Danas (in Serbian). 5 June 2021. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Predstavljen predlog za saradnju opozicije koji su sačinili Ne davimo Beograd i ZZS". Danas (in Serbian). 30 September 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  11. ^ Čongradin, Snežana (9 October 2021). "Lazović: Da ne budemo robovi kriminalaca na vlasti - svi na protest Protiv državnog kriminala". Danas (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  12. ^ Petković, Gordana (14 November 2021). "Zelenović: "Zeleno - levi" blok nudi građanima da zajedno zaštitimo prirodu". NOVA portal (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Zelenović i Ćuta potpisali sporazum, "zeleno-levi" blok izlazi na izbore". N1 (in Serbian). 14 November 2021. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Sporazum Zelenovića i Jovanovića: Zeleno-levi blok za izbore". Euronews (in Serbian). 14 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  15. ^ a b c "Formirana zeleno-leva koalicija "Moramo"". NOVA portal (in Serbian). 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Zajedno za Srbiju, Ne davimo Beograd i Ekološki ustanak u koaliciji "Moramo"". 021.rs (in Serbian). 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  17. ^ a b c Radovanović, Vojin (19 January 2022). "Zajedno za Srbiju, Ne davimo Beograd i Ekološki ustanak ozvaničili koaliciju "Moramo"". Danas (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Predizborna kampanja koalicije "Moramo" kreće u nedelju iz Gornjih Nedeljica". Danas (in Serbian). 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  19. ^ "Biljana Stojković predsednička kandidatkinja SSS i koalicije Moramo". N1 (in Serbian). 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Završna konvencija Koalicije "Moramo" večeras u Kragujevcu". Danas (in Serbian). 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  21. ^ Milošević, Ana (22 March 2022). "Konvencija koalicije "Moramo" u Užicu: Građani će glasati za zemlju, vodu, vazduh i slobodu". Danas (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  22. ^ "Slovenačka Levica podržala koaliciju "Moramo" na predstojećim izborima". N1 (in Serbian). 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  23. ^ "RIK objavio rezultate parlamentarnih izbora sa oko 99 odsto biračkih mesta u Srbiji". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbian). 6 April 2022. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  24. ^ "Preliminarni rezultati predsedničkih izbora u Srbiji 2022. najnovije vesti". N1 (in Serbian). 3 April 2022. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  25. ^ Petrović, Marija (1 June 2022). "Ćuta, Zelenović i Skupština slobodne Srbije prave stranku: Osnivačka skupština 11. juna". Telegraf (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  26. ^ "Članice koalicije "Moramo" se ujedinile u "Zajedno" - stranku bez lidera". N1 (in Serbian). 11 June 2022. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Zelenović: Formiramo novu političku stranku sa tri kopredsednika". N1 (in Serbian). 11 June 2022. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  28. ^ a b "Zelenović: Ne davimo Beograd nije hteo u zajedničku stranku". Danas (in Serbian). 29 June 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  29. ^ Čongradin, Snežana (15 June 2022). "Čije je "Moramo" i zašto: Sagovornici Danasa o tome ko je u pravu u borbi za brend imena koalicije". Danas (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  30. ^ Valtner, Lidija (27 June 2022). "Ko dolazi i zašto se organizuje prvi sastanak opozicije posle susreta Vučić - Đilas". Danas (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  31. ^ Janković, Marija (1 August 2022). "Ko je ko u Skupštini Srbije". BBC News (in Serbian (Latin script)). Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  32. ^ "Ćuta o omiljenoj kafani, koju rakiju pije, da li je oženjen i koja žena mu je najlepša na svetu". NOVA portal (in Serbian). 25 December 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  33. ^ Centre-left:
    Green politics:
  34. ^ "Formirana zeleno-leva koalicija "Moramo"". Voice of America (in Serbian). 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  35. ^ "Predstavljena koalicija "Moramo" – lideri poručuju da će promovisati zelene i leve vrednosti". Radio Television of Serbia (in Serbian). 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  36. ^ "Zelenović: Potreban brz ulazak Srbije u EU, imamo plan kako svaki građanin da živi dobro". Euronews (in Serbian). 9 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  37. ^ "Koalicija Moramo - da li smo pobedili Rio Tinto, šta misle o Kosovu, Srebrenici". N1 (in Serbian). 21 January 2022. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  38. ^ "Koalicija Moramo osudila zahtev odbornika Patriotskog bloka za otkazivanje Parade ponosa". Danas (in Serbian). 27 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  39. ^ "Serbia in crisis: Can authoritarian trends be reversed?". Progressive Britain. 14 January 2022. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  40. ^ Stilin, B. (20 January 2022). "Srpski 'Možemo' zove se 'Moramo', imaju gotovo isti vizualni identitet, a evo i tko su vodeća lica". Telekom Portal (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  41. ^ "Koalicija Moramo započela pridruživanje porodici evropskih zelenih partija". Danas (in Serbian). 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  42. ^ "Pismo podrške Partije Evropske levice Solidarnosti i koaliciji Moramo". Solidarnost (in Serbian). 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  43. ^ "Međunarodna podrška levice koaliciji Moramo". Solidarnost (in Serbian). 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
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