According to the latest preliminary results, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic won about half of the votes in the early parliamentary elections held on Sunday.

The latest data provided by the non-governmental Center for Free Elections and Democracy late on Sunday, which is based on 82 % of the processed ballots, shows that SNS won 49.9 % of the votes.

The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), which is led by Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, is projected to remain the second largest party with 11.6 % of the votes.

The Serbian Radical Party (SRS) of Vojislav Seselj, who was recently acquitted of all war crimes charges brought against him, comes third with 7.8 %, while the Democratic Party (DS) is fourth with 5.9 % of the votes.

Three other parties are close to passing the electoral threshold of 5 %, Tanjug news agency informs.

According to preliminary data from Serbia's Republic Election Commission (RIK), SRS won 55 % of the votes, SPS claimed 11 %, SRS garnered 7.7 % and DS passed the electoral threshold.

The voter turnout is expected to have surpass 53 %.

Together with the early general elections, elections were also held for the assembly of the autonomous province of Vojvodina and most local assemblies.

According to preliminary results, SNS won the elections for the provincial assembly with 45.1 % of the votes, followed by SPS with 8.8 %, DS with 8 % and SRS with 7.2 %.

Vucic called general elections two years ahead of schedule in order to obtain stronger mandate than the 131 seats, which his party currently enjoys in the the 250-member parliament, in order to continue the economic reforms and European integration of Serbia.

Upon his victory speech on Sunday, the incumbent prime minister vowed to keep Serbia on the European path, but also to maintain close ties with Russia.

Vucic is set to win more than half of the seats and possibly can achieve two-thirds majority with his coalition partners.

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