Serbia Faces Early Elections As Vucic Announces Resignation

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

BELGRADE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Political uncertainty remained Monday in Serbia after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced he would resign within weeks and call early presidential and parliamentary elections following 18 months of student-led anti-government protests.

Vucic, 56, who has served as Serbia’s president or prime minister for the past 12 years, said he would step down before the end of his second and final presidential term, which was due to expire in 2027.

His announcement followed months of anti-corruption demonstrations triggered by the collapse of a railway station awning in the northern city of Novi Sad in November 2024 that killed 16 people.

Protesters and opposition groups say the disaster exposed widespread corruption and government mismanagement of public construction projects, allegations rejected by Vucic and his allies.

Vucic, who has faced European Union criticism over his perceived authoritarian and nationalist leadership, made the announcement during a pro-government rally in Belgrade, saying he would resign within weeks and campaign for his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the upcoming elections.

ORBÁN ALLY

The announcement came less than three months after the election defeat of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, one of Vucic’s closest allies within the European Union.

“For Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Orbán’s defeat means losing his main ally within the European Union,” said Berta López Domènech, a policy analyst at the European Policy Centre think tank.

“Over the years, ties between the two leaders grew stronger, to the point that they publicly described each other as ‘friends.’ They shared a common mix of illiberalism, conservatism, ethnonationalism, Euroscepticism and closeness to Russia,” she added.

“This partnership was driven by overlapping economic, ideological and political interests. For Orbán, it offered influence and business opportunities in the region. For Vucic, it provided political cover and a direct channel into decision-making,” López Domènech said.

Despite his resignation, analysts believe Vucic is unlikely to leave politics and could seek to return as prime minister if his party wins the parliamentary elections.

POLITICAL FUTURE

“This is not at all the end of Vucic,” analyst Radivoje Grujic said. “He already has a plan, one that definitely does not mean he’s going to go into political retirement—quite the opposite.”

Student leaders and opposition parties have vowed to contest the elections, arguing Vucic called the vote to regain the political initiative after the biggest wave of protests since the overthrow of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

Although Serbia’s presidency is largely ceremonial, Vucic has dominated the country’s political landscape for more than a decade through his leadership of the ruling SNS.

Serbia remains a candidate for EU membership but continues to balance its European ambitions with close ties to Russia and China. Before joining the bloc, it must strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption and organized crime, and align its foreign policy more closely with that of the European Union.

Vucic did not say when he would formally resign or dissolve parliament, a constitutional requirement before early presidential and parliamentary elections can take place.

Latest Worthy News