Tadić was criticized both inside and outside the party for the manoeuvre of calling early presidential elections without a clear goal, and entering them with over-confidence. Dragan Đilas, long-time mayor of Belgrade and one of rare Democrats who remained in his seat after 2012 elections, announced that he would challenge Tadić in December party elections. After a period of gauging the odds, it became obvious that Đilas would receive majority support. Before the electoral conference, Đilas and Tadić reached a face-saving agreement whereby Tadić would step down from the race and remain the party's honorary president, and Đilas thus became the only major candidate. Đilas was elected president of the Democratic Party on 25 November 2012.