Slobodan Lalović became the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Policy in the minority government of Vojislav Koštunica.
Ljilja Nestorović and Meho Omerović went into opposition, while the third, Slobodan Lalović kept his post, subsequently withdrawing from the party and becoming an independent deputy.
In 2004, the Democratic Alternative (DA), led by Nebojša Čović, merged into the SDP and assumed leadership over the party.
The coalition received 3.11% of the popular vote, thus failing to pass the 5% minimum threshold to enter parliament.
The SDP ceased to exist in January 2010, which resulted in the bitter words between former party leadership members Nebojša Čović and Oliver Ivanović.