AZE.US
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić resigned seven months before the end of his term, opening the way for snap parliamentary elections on Oct. 25 and a separate presidential vote by the end of December.
Vučić announced the decision in an address on the evening of Sept. 27 and signed his resignation at the presidential administration building in Belgrade, according to Vesti Baku.
He said he would transfer his duties on the morning of Sept. 28 to National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabić, who will serve as acting president until a successor is elected.
Serbia’s government portal said Vučić explained that he wanted to participate in the parliamentary election as an ordinary citizen. His Serbian Progressive Party had previously named him as its candidate for prime minister.
Two Elections Ahead
The snap parliamentary election is scheduled for Oct. 25. If Vučić’s party and its allies win a majority and form a government, he could return to power as prime minister — formally the most influential office in Serbia’s political system.
His resignation also starts a separate presidential election process. Under Serbia’s constitutional procedure, the election of a new head of state must be completed within 90 days. Vučić said the first round would take place by the end of December.
Reuters reported that the October vote will be a major test of Vučić’s political control. His allies face the student-led anti-corruption movement Students Win and the pro-Western opposition alliance European Serbia.
Vučić had served as president since 2017 and was in his second and final permitted term. He previously served as prime minister. Leaving the presidency allows him to campaign in the parliamentary election and seek leadership of the next government.
Protests Shape the Political Backdrop
Serbia’s political crisis intensified after a concrete canopy collapsed at the railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people. The disaster triggered prolonged student and opposition protests demanding a transparent investigation, accountability for officials and early elections.
Protesters and rights groups have accused the authorities of corruption, pressure on the media and harsh treatment of demonstrators. Serbian authorities have rejected the allegations.
In his final address as president, Vučić also said he had pardoned 49 people during the protests, including 12 activists and 11 of his supporters who were detained or involved in protest-related cases.
A change in Vučić’s title does not necessarily signal a sharp foreign-policy shift. Under his leadership, Serbia cultivated ties with Russia and China, maintained its stated path toward European Union membership and expanded contacts with the United States. The October election will show whether the political system he built retains its current shape.
AZE.US