Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigns, paving way for early elections as he plans to run as prime minister. Vucic, who has been in office since 2014, announced his resignation on Sept. 27, clearing the way for him to run as the Serbian Progressive Party's right-wing populist candidate in the Oct. 25 elections.
Vucic, a pro-Russian leader with authoritarian tendencies, faced sustained pressure from anti-government demonstrators since November 2024. The protests, triggered by the collapse of a train station roof in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people, led to widespread public discontent over allegations of government corruption. Vucic had already announced his intention to resign in June and is currently standing to be his party's candidate for prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Analysts say Vucic will de facto remain the most powerful person in Serbia if he becomes prime minister. The snap elections, called in response to the protests, will take place in late October, with the presidential election scheduled to occur within 90 days of his resignation. Vucic used his constitutional powers to pardon 49 people, including 23 students and party loyalists suspected of offences related to the protests.
The upcoming parliamentary elections will pit Vucic's Progressive Party against a student-led, anti-corruption movement called Students Win and a coalition of pro-Western opposition parties known as European Serbia. The elections mark a significant shift in Serbian politics as Vucic's administration faces growing calls for accountability and reform.