BELGRADE — The incumbent pro-EU populists swept Serbia’s parliamentary election on Sunday, leaving pro-Russia nationalists far behind, according to preliminary results.

The apparent triumph by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic’s Progressive Party means Serbia will continue on its path toward European Union membership despite opposition from right-wing parties, which sought close ties with Russia.

The preliminary results published by the CESiD independent pollsters say the Progressives won 52 percent of the vote while their coalition partner the Socialists had 13 percent. Ultra-nationalist Radical Party had 7 percent, followed by pro-Western Democratic Party with 5 percent. Djordje Vulkovic from CESiD said there might be slight changes from those results.

Vucic called the election two years early, saying he needed a new mandate to press ahead with tough reforms demanded by the EU as the country faces deep economic and social problems.

Associated Press