Tens of thousands of members and sympathisers of the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) on Saturday gathered in Belgrade, demanding extraordinary elections.
Addressing the rally, the party leader Tomislav Nikolic said that he had begun hunger strike earlier in the day in order to persuade Serbian president Boris Tadic to call early polls.
"Since this morning I have not been taking food and water. My message to Tadic is, when something bad happens to me, call elections," Nikolic said.
The organisers said that 120,000 people had gathered for the rally while the police estimates put the figure at 40,000. According to media, the protest rally was peaceful with strong police forces engaged for this purpose.
Leaders of other opposition parties that helped organised the gathering also held speeches.
A similar rally was held in February when speakers said that they would step up activities with regard tot heir demand for early elections.
The Serb Progressive Party was established in 2008 when Nikolic, who had been until then an official of the Serb Radical Party (SRS), and Vojislav Seselj, the SRS leader who is standing trial in The Hague for war crimes, parted ways. According to opinion polls, Nikolic's SNS has developed into the strongest opposition party in the meantime.
Voting is currently due to take place in early 2012.
