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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced at a pro-government rally in Belgrade that he will step down within weeks, a move that opens the door to early presidential and parliamentary elections originally scheduled for 2027. Vucic whose second and final mandate was set to expire in mid-2027 told thousands of Serbian Progressive Party supporters that this would likely be the last time he addresses them as president while pledging to help the party secure victory. “I will be president for only a couple more weeks and then I will resign” Vucic said according to a Reuters report from the event. The announcement came one day after continued protests in Kraljevo where demonstrators expressed skepticism that he would fully relinquish influence.
The decision follows more than 18 months of student-led anti-government protests sparked by the November 2024 collapse of a concrete awning at a railway station in Novi Sad that killed 16 people a tragedy that opposition groups and rights organizations have linked to broader allegations of corruption and mismanagement in construction projects involving Chinese firms. According to a CNN assessment the protests have demanded accountability and early elections while accusing Vucic’s administration of authoritarian tendencies and media control. RFE/RL reporting noted that the incident at the flagship government project shocked the public and fueled nationwide demonstrations that have included frequent clashes with police. Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party has dominated Serbian politics for 14 years since taking power.
Vucic stated that he would assist his party in the upcoming vote under the banner “United Serbia” and predicted a decisive win though he stopped short of specifying exact dates for his resignation or the dissolution of parliament required for snap polls. A Balkan Insight analysis indicated that many observers expect the president to transition to the role of prime minister if his party prevails allowing him to maintain influence while installing a loyalist in the presidency. Euractiv figures from a recent Faktor Plus poll placed support for the ruling party at around 47 percent compared with just under 31 percent for the student opposition movement. Al Jazeera reporting highlighted how Vucic has gradually consolidated power during his tenure.
Opposition figures and student activists have welcomed the concession while voicing doubts about its sincerity with Savo Manojlovic head of the Move-Change movement telling CNN that Vucic was attempting to preempt an inevitable fall due to the protests. Thousands of demonstrators continued their rallies the day after the announcement according to Reuters with some participants like IT expert Marko Djokic expressing fears that Vucic would not truly cede control. The LA Times noted that university students have sustained pressure for over a year demanding an end to what they describe as autocratic rule.
During his rally address Vucic emphasized that a victorious government would pursue European Union integration while preserving traditional partnerships with Russia and China a position echoed in Radio Free Europe reporting on his remarks. Analysts cited by TVP World suggested the timing allows Vucic to call elections on his terms rather than risk further momentum for the protest movement which has built local structures across the country. The developments come as the European Union has criticized Serbia’s democratic backsliding including restrictions on independent media according to multiple accounts from the period.
Vucic who previously served as prime minister from 2014 to 2017 has not ruled out returning to that position a shift that Reuters described as a new political chapter rather than a full exit from power. Protesters have kept up their campaign in various cities with a focus on anti-corruption demands that originated from the Novi Sad disaster. The president’s announcement has set in motion a period of political realignment ahead of the polls with both the ruling party and opposition preparing intensified campaigns.
