Serbia's President Vučić Resigns, Opening Path to Snap Elections
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has formally stepped down after more than a year of student-led protests over corruption allegations, triggering both parliamentary and presidential elections before year's end.
Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić has officially resigned following more than a year of sustained, student-led protests and mounting public anger over corruption allegations against his government. Addressing supporters outside the presidential building in Belgrade, Vučić claimed his nine years in office had preserved peace and stability in the country.
He first announced his intention to resign back in June. Barred by Serbia's constitution from seeking a third presidential term, Vučić instead intends to run as his Progressive Party's candidate for prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary vote.
Origins of the unrest
Public fury toward the pro-Russian populist's administration was ignited by the collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people. The disaster drew a broad coalition of protesters, including students, teachers, workers and farmers, who saw it as emblematic of more than a decade of governance failures under Vučić, who had closely tied himself to the station's renovation as a symbol of national progress.
A string of resignations among officials close to Vučić failed to quell the unrest, and demonstrations continued through the summer, at times escalating into confrontations following allegations of police brutality.
Two elections before year's end
Under Serbia's constitution, a presidential election must be held within three months of a resignation, meaning citizens will vote twice before 2026 draws to a close. Snap parliamentary elections, called in response to the protests, are set for late October, with the presidential vote following more than a month later. Parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabić, also a Progressive Party member, will serve as interim president until a successor is elected.
Using his constitutional authority, Vučić pardoned 49 people, including 23 students and party loyalists, who had faced suspicion over offences linked to the past year and a half of unrest. The parliamentary election will see the Progressive Party face off against the student-led anti-corruption movement Students Win and a pro-Western opposition coalition known as European Serbia.
