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| Ruling Progressive Party tipped to win Serbia elections | Ruling Progressive Party tipped to win Serbia elections |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Voters in Serbia are electing a new parliament, with the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) tipped to consolidate its hold on power. | Voters in Serbia are electing a new parliament, with the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) tipped to consolidate its hold on power. |
| The party, led by Aleksandar Vucic, has been leading in opinion polls thanks to its anti-corruption campaign and by starting EU membership talks. | The party, led by Aleksandar Vucic, has been leading in opinion polls thanks to its anti-corruption campaign and by starting EU membership talks. |
| The Socialists, coalition partners for the SNS, are expected to finish in second place. | The Socialists, coalition partners for the SNS, are expected to finish in second place. |
| The opposition Democratic Party has been trailing third in the polls. | The opposition Democratic Party has been trailing third in the polls. |
| 'Super-guy' | 'Super-guy' |
| Voting began at 06:00 GMT and is due to end at 19:00 GMT. | |
| About 6.7m voters are eligible to cast their ballots to choose a new 250-member parliament. | About 6.7m voters are eligible to cast their ballots to choose a new 250-member parliament. |
| "We need a landslide victory to create new jobs, firmly pursue reforms and fight corruption with full forces," Mr Vucic said earlier this week. | "We need a landslide victory to create new jobs, firmly pursue reforms and fight corruption with full forces," Mr Vucic said earlier this week. |
| His party is also credited with normalising relations with Kosovo. | His party is also credited with normalising relations with Kosovo. |
| It is quite possible the Progressives may gain enough support to win an overall majority, which has never happened before in Serbia's short democratic history, the BBC's Guy De Launey in Belgrade reports. | It is quite possible the Progressives may gain enough support to win an overall majority, which has never happened before in Serbia's short democratic history, the BBC's Guy De Launey in Belgrade reports. |
| The opposition is playing on the fears of an electorate that still remembers the autocratic Slobodan Milosevic government of the 1990s, our correspondent adds. | The opposition is playing on the fears of an electorate that still remembers the autocratic Slobodan Milosevic government of the 1990s, our correspondent adds. |
| The opposition says it would be dangerous to place too much power in Mr Vucic, who is expected to become prime minister. It points out that he served as a minister under Milosevic. | The opposition says it would be dangerous to place too much power in Mr Vucic, who is expected to become prime minister. It points out that he served as a minister under Milosevic. |
| "The whole country is mesmerised by this super-guy, Mr Vucic, who controls all the media and decides on everything. What we are facing now is a one-man regime," said Borko Stefanovic, the Democratic Party's parliamentary leader. | "The whole country is mesmerised by this super-guy, Mr Vucic, who controls all the media and decides on everything. What we are facing now is a one-man regime," said Borko Stefanovic, the Democratic Party's parliamentary leader. |
| Serbia's next government will have plenty to do, our correspondent says. One in three Serbians cannot find a job, and the EU accession process will be long and rigorous. | Serbia's next government will have plenty to do, our correspondent says. One in three Serbians cannot find a job, and the EU accession process will be long and rigorous. |