Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigns amid prolonged protests
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigned to stand for the prime minister’s post on the Serbian Progressive Party ticket in snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25. His resignation follows nearly two years of mass student-led demonstrations sparked by a deadly railway station canopy collapse and comes as opponents — including a student-backed list called "Students Win" — mount a sustained challenge to his decade-long dominance of Serbian politics.
Why It Matters
The snap vote could reshape power in Serbia and influence stability across the Western Balkans, where Belgrade's policies carry political and cultural weight. The outcome will be watched regionally because changes in Serbia’s direction could affect neighbouring countries and longstanding tensions tied to the 1990s wars.
Key Facts
- Resignation and candidacy: Aleksandar Vucic resigned as president to run for prime minister in a snap parliamentary election on October 25.
- Party: Vucic is running on the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) ballot.
- Time in power: Vucic has served as either president or prime minister since 2014.
- Presidential term limit: He was barred from seeking a third presidential term.
- Acting president: Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic will serve as acting president pending a presidential election.
President Aleksandar Vucic has stepped down to pursue the prime minister’s post in snap parliamentary elections set for October 25, saying he will lead the Serbian Progressive Party’s ticket. Vucic has been a dominant figure in Serbian politics since 2014 but was legally prevented from seeking another presidential term, prompting the shift to a parliamentary bid.
The decision comes amid sustained, student-led demonstrations that intensified after a concrete canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station on November 1, 2024, killed 16 people. The protests evolved into some of the largest public demonstrations in Serbia in decades, with participants decrying corruption, lack of transparency and alleged political interference in state institutions.
A student movement running under the banner "Students Win," backed by several opposition parties including the Democratic Party, has presented a 250-candidate list made up largely of academics and professionals. Its platform calls for probes into suspected illicit property acquisition, stronger anti-corruption measures, curbs on political interference in public institutions and greater transparency in public spending. Some polls indicate the movement could pose a serious challenge to the SNS, though the polling methods and authenticity of some surveys are difficult to verify independently.
In one of his final acts before resigning, Vucic issued pardons for 49 people, including 23 convicted in connection with the protests. He told international media he would accept and congratulate opponents if the opposition wins, while allies and observers warn the post-election period could be fraught, with activists and some former officials expressing concern that the ruling network may try to retain control. Regional observers have said a change in Serbia’s political direction could have wider implications for stability in the Western Balkans, where Belgrade’s relations with neighbouring countries remain politically significant.
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