SPS (Socialist Party of Serbia) - led by Slobodan Milosevic, who is still at the top of the party's list of candidates. It was founded on the remnants of the League of Communists. The party espouses a combination of nationalist and communist rhetoric.

SRS (Serbian Radical Party) - founded by Vojislav Seselj, who still tops the party's list of candidates despite being indicted for war crimes. The party is founded on an ultra nationalist populist platform. Current leader Tomislav Nikolic is viewed as the main contender in presidential elections.

SPO (Serbian Renewal Movement) - led by Vuk Draskovic. The party was founded on Cetnik ideology. It is characterized by conservative and Serbian nationalist rhetoric. It was the leading opposition party in the early 1990s but since then has been compromised by cooperation with Milosevic's political regime.

NS (New Serbia) - conservative party allied with SPO

DS (Democratic Party) - the first opposition party founded in Serbia by Zoran Djindjic in 1989, currently led by Boris Tadic. The party is based on a social-democratic platform.

DSS (Democratic Party of Serbia) - led by Vojislav Kostunica, splinter party of the DS, conservative, moderately nationalist, and selectively critical of the West. The party advocates reforms of the judiciary and the police.

G17 Plus - led by Miroljub Labus, a former think-tank transformed into a political party in 2002. The party advocates economic reforms, membership in the EU, and cooperation with the UN on Kosovo.

ZZT (Together for Tolerance) - party representing interests of ethnic Hungarians

SSJ (Serbian Unity Party) - led by a former paramilitary commander, Borislav Pelevic. The party was founded by the paramilitary leader Arkan, an indicted war criminal who was assassinated in 2000, and espouses ultra-nationalist rhetoric. The party supported the opposition coalition that brought down Milosevic in the fall of 2000.

DEPOS (Democratic Movement of Serbia), an opposition coalition led by Matija Beckovic (1992-93)

Zajedno, a coalition of SPO-DS-GSS-DSS. The coalition managed to win local elections but soon discredited itself and fell apart.(1996-97)

DOS (Democratic Opposition of Serbia), a coalition formed to unseat Milosevic. It won in presidential and parliamentary elections in 2000, but could not maintain unity and preserve its positive image. In 2003 elections, all parties ran on separate platforms. (2000-01)