Serbian populist leader Vucic launches campaign for prime minister

Aleksandar Vucic, who has held Serbia's top political offices since 2014, formally opened his campaign to become prime minister ahead of snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25. Thousands of his supporters filled Belgrade's largest indoor arena at a rally that was broadcast widely across Serbian media. Vucic, running on the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) ticket, pledged a ‘‘comprehensive’’ victory.

The snap vote was called before Vucic resigned as president on September 27, a move that ended his second presidential term more than seven months early. Barred by law from seeking a third presidential term, Vucic is attempting to retain control of the executive branch by securing a parliamentary majority that would enable the legislature to appoint him as prime minister.

His campaign comes after almost two years of sustained antigovernment demonstrations. A youth-backed movement that catalyzed those protests has grown into an electoral force known as the Student List. The movement’s rise accelerated following the November 1, 2024 collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people; activists have demanded accountability for the disaster and campaigned against corruption.

Vucic accused the protest movement of attempting to ‘‘bring Serbia to a halt’’ and suggested, without presenting evidence, that unspecified foreign intelligence services backed its leaders. The Student List’s slate, which includes university professors, teachers and experts from across the political spectrum, aims to unseat Vucic’s government in the October vote.