Serbian President Vucic calls snap parliamentary elections for October 25
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has announced early parliamentary elections will be held on October 25, more than a year ahead of schedule. The decision comes amid nearly two years of anti-government protests triggered by a deadly canopy collapse in Novi Sad.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced that early parliamentary elections will be held in the country on October 25. Speaking on Wednesday, September 9, he said he would issue two decisions: one dissolving the National Assembly and another calling the elections. His remarks were made on Serbia's public broadcaster RTS.
Vučić urged all sides to refrain from violence during the election campaign. He also asked people not to blockade university buildings again, saying that such actions would harm the protesters themselves, other students, and professors. The president stressed that he would accept the election results, whatever they may be, and congratulate his opponents if they win.
Long-running protests
The decision to hold snap elections comes as Serbia has seen mass protests against Vučić for nearly two years. The demonstrations began after a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. Protesters have demanded that those responsible be punished and that the country's leaders resign.
In April 2026, Vučić said he was prepared to hold early parliamentary elections, and in June 2026 he said he would step down within a few weeks. His presidential term expires in 2027. The next regular parliamentary elections had previously been scheduled for December 2027.
