Serbia's populists claim a sweeping victory in the country's parliamentary election

Serbian President Vucic's governing populists claim sweeping victory in parliamentary election marred by reports of irregularities. Opposition disputes results, alleging vote-rigging.

Serbia’s governing populists claimed a sweeping victory on December 17 in the country's parliamentary election, which was marred by reports of major irregularities both during a tense campaign and on voting day.

Acting Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that with half the ballots counted, the governing Serbian Progressive Party's projections showed it won 47% of the vote and expected to hold around 130 seats in the 250-member Assembly. The main opposition Serbia Against Violence group won around 23%, Ms. Brnabic said.

The main contest in the parliamentary and local elections was between President Aleksandar Vucic’s Serbian Progressives and the centrist coalition that sought to undermine the populists who have ruled the troubled Balkan state since 2012.

The Serbia Against Violence opposition coalition was expected to mount its biggest challenge for the city council in Belgrade, with analysts saying an opposition victory in the capital would seriously dent Mr. Vucic’s hardline rule in the country.

Mr. Vucic, however, said his party was also leading in the vote in the capital, though he added that post-election coalition negotiations would determine who governs in Belgrade.

“This is an absolute victory which makes me extremely happy,” a jubilant Mr. Vucic said at his party's headquarters in Belgrade. “We know what we have achieved in the previous period and how tough a period lies ahead.”

The main Opposition group disputed the election projections from the governing party, claiming there was vote-rigging and saying it would dispute the vote count “by all democratic means.”