Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has announced his resignation, ending his second five-year term prematurely and setting the stage for presidential elections anticipated by the end of the year. This decision comes as Serbia prepares for snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25. Vucic’s resignation may open the door for him to pursue the role of prime minister, contingent on whether his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its allies can secure sufficient support to form the next government.
Under the Serbian constitution, Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic will take on the role of interim president until a new president is elected. Vucic indicated that the first round of presidential elections is expected to occur by the end of December.
The upcoming elections pose a challenge to Vucic’s long-standing political dominance in Serbia. His party, the SNS, along with its allies, will face opposition from groups such as the student-led Students Win movement and the European Serbia coalition. Vucic, a significant figure in Serbian politics for over a decade, has served as both prime minister and president since 2017. During his presidency, Serbia has sought to strengthen its economic ties with China and maintain its relationship with Russia, all while pursuing membership in the European Union.
Serbia has also enhanced its relations with the United States and Israel, recently opening a facility for producing Israeli-designed military drones as part of its defense expansion efforts. However, Vucic’s administration has been under pressure following sustained protests triggered by the collapse of a railway station awning in Novi Sad in November 2024, which resulted in 16 fatalities. The protests have called for greater accountability, transparency, and action against corruption.
The government has faced additional strain as several officials have been arrested or resigned in the aftermath of the disaster. In response to the protests, Vucic announced pardons and amnesties for numerous individuals involved, signaling an attempt to address public discontent.
