Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigns to pursue prime minister role in October snap elections

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced his resignation on Sunday from the presidential palace in Belgrade, saying he will hand over his duties to the parliament speaker on Monday morning.[1][2][3] The 56-year-old leader, who has dominated Serbian politics for over a decade, is constitutionally barred from seeking a third presidential term and would have remained in office until May 2027.[4][5][6]

Vucic's resignation comes as student-led protests and political unrest have intensified following the November 2024 collapse of a newly reconstructed railway station awning in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people.[7][8][9] The disaster sparked nationwide demonstrations demanding accountability, transparency in public procurement, an end to systemic corruption, and early parliamentary elections. Several government officials, including two ministers, were arrested or resigned following the incident.[10]

The president called for snap elections in October, citing "major turbulence on the domestic political scene."[11] Despite the political challenges, Vucic intends to run as a candidate in the upcoming elections.[12] Supporters credit him with providing stability and advancing development projects, while opponents have criticized what they characterize as increasingly authoritarian governance and endemic corruption. Internationally, Vucic has navigated competing interests between Serbia's European Union aspirations and its close ties to Russia.[13]