The EPP launches an internal scrutiny process over the membership of Vučić’s party

Published on 25/09/2025 - 18:12 GMT+2

The European People’s Party (EPP) launched connected Thursday an interior scrutiny process arsenic regards the relation of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led for a decennary by Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić.

The EPP Presidency tasked its Secretary General, Dolors Montserrat, and its Vice-President Kostis Hatzidakis to pb the process, which is described as “a thorough and swift interior probe with open-ended results”.

SNS has been an EPP associated subordinate enactment since 2016. Vučić has been the party’s president from 2012 to 2023, erstwhile helium yielded bid to Miloš Vučević.

As anticipated by Euronews and confirmed by interior sources, disapproval of the Serbian ruling enactment has been increasing wrong the EPP. Developments connected the crushed and SNS geopolitical positioning are the crushed for the scrutiny process. 

Vučić has rejected calls for aboriginal elections aft wide demonstrations against corruption and negligence, for a factual canopy that collapsed at the freshly renovated Novi Sad bid presumption past November, sidesplitting 16 people.

Protestors person been complaining astir constabulary brutality, excessive force, and intersexual harassment against absorption activists, but SNS has accused them of seeking to incite unrest.

"The EPP has not turned a unsighted oculus to what is happening successful Serbia”, EPP President Manfred Weber told reporters successful Strasbourg astatine the opening of the month.

Vučić’s narration with Russian President Vladimir Putin is besides a substance of concern.

The Serbian President decided to support adjacent ties with Russia adjacent aft the penetration of Ukraine, highlighting historical links betwixt the 2 countries and vigor security. On 9 May 2025, Vučić adjacent joined Putin successful Moscow for Russia's Victory Day parade, raising eyebrows successful Brussels and successful the aforesaid EPP.

In the EPP, determination are antithetic positions connected the SNS membership, and the scrutiny process has neither a circumstantial timeline nor a predefined outcome, interior sources told Euronews.

According to EPP rules,  a imaginable suspension oregon exclusion of the Serbian enactment should beryllium projected by the Presidency oregon by 7 different parties coming from astatine slightest 5 antithetic countries, and yet decided by the Political Assembly.

SNS has been approached for comments.