Yugoslav Left

Yugoslav Left
Jugoslovenska Levica
Leader Mirjana Marković
President Ljubiša Ristić
General Secretary Ratko Krsmanović
Founded 23 July 1994
Dissolved 12 April 2010
Headquarters Venizelosova 31, Belgrade
Ideology Democratic socialism
Yugoslavism
Serbian nationalism[1][2]
Political position Left-wing
Website
jul.org.yu

The Yugoslav Left (Serbo-Croatian: Југословенска Левица, ЈУЛ / Jugoslovenska Levica; JUL) was a left-wing political party in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[3]

Ideology

JUL declared itself to be a party of all "left-wing and progressive forces that believed that the general interest always comes above private interest", including communists, greens, socialists and social democrats.[3]

History

It was formed in 1994 by merging 19 left-wing parties, led by the League of Communists – Movement for Yugoslavia (SK-PJ). It was led by Mirjana Marković, the wife of Slobodan Milošević. At its peak, the party had 20 seats in Republic of Serbia's National Assembly following the 1997 general election.

Unlike Slobodan Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and its ally the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS) which were direct descendants of the League of Communists of Serbia and Montenegro respectively, the Yugoslav Left was an all-Yugoslavian party with members from both constituent bodies.[4]

Despite these differences, the JUL and the SPS collaborated closely. The JUL generally didn't take part in elections separately. Several members of the SPS crossed the floor to JUL at some stage.[5]

In 1996, the JUL ran in a coalition with the SPS and New Democracy. The party had some ten MPs and representatives in various local assemblies. It held ministerial posts during Milošević's regime. In the 2003 Serbian legislative elections, JUL received only a 0.1% of the votes.[6]

As for international cooperation, the JUL has visited the gatherings of several left-wing political groups in Europe and worldwide, including ties with the Communist Party of China, the Communist Party of Cuba and the Workers' Party of Korea.[5]

Its social base was mainly amongst peasants and pauperised workers, but it also had members from the so-called nouveau riche of Serbia during Milošević's terms in office, and many high-ranked civil servants and army staff. During the 1990s, opponents of Milošević's government sometimes referred to the JUL "a branch of Communist Party of China in Yugoslavia".[5]

The party officially ceased to exist on 12 April 2010. Its properties and some activities are carried on by the Better Serbia non-governmental organization, led by Dragana Kuzmanović-Janičić.[7]

Electoral results

Parliamentary elections

Year Popular vote % of popular vote # of seats Seat change Coalitions Government
1997 1,418,036 34.26%
20 / 250
 Increase 20 Left Coalition government
2000 14,324 0.38%
0 / 250
 Decrease 20 non-parliamentary
2003 3,771 0.09%
0 / 250
 Steady non-parliamentary

References

  1. ↑ Breuilly, John (2013). The Oxford Handbook of the History of Nationalism. OUP Oxford. p. 527.
  2. ↑ Golubović, Zagorka (2003). Politika i svakodnevni život: Srbija 1999-2002. IFDT. p. 225.
  3. 1 2 Janusz Bugajski. Political Parties of Eastern Europe: A Guide to Politics in the Post-Communist Era. Armonk, New York, USA: The Center for Strategic and International Studies. p. 407.
  4. ↑ Yugoslav Left leader: "All people in Yugoslavia should live together"
  5. 1 2 3 "Free Serbia - Politics: Yugoslav Left". Free Serbia. Retrieved 2012-12-13.
  6. ↑ Broad Left entry on JUL Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "Mira Marković danas nema šanse kao politički lider". srbijadanas.com. Srbija Danas. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
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