belgrade, serbiaReuters —
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Saturday that he would step down in the coming weeks and hold early presidential and parliamentary elections following 18 months of anti-government protests.
The announcement by Vučić, who has held power as president or prime minister for 12 years, comes amid persistent student-led protests against corruption, which began in November 2024 when a train awning collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 16 people.
Protesters, opposition parties and rights groups say the train station disaster is a symptom of widespread government mismanagement and corruption over construction projects.
“I will only be president for a few more weeks and then I will step down,” Vučić told a crowd of supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital Belgrade. Vucic’s second and final term was due to expire in mid-2027.
Vučić said he would help his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) win the presidential elections and early parliamentary elections, also scheduled for 2027.
“My proposal is to name our list, the list of winners in the next elections, ‘United Serbia’.”
He did not specify when he would resign or dissolve parliament, which are preconditions for early parliamentary elections.
Vucic is unlikely to leave the political scene, as his resignation could pave the way for him to become prime minister if his party wins the parliamentary elections. If that happens, it will continue the trend of Serbian authorities following Vučić, regardless of the title.
Analysts predict that Vucic will seek to replace him with an ally in the president’s office to ensure he remains in power.
“This is by no means the end for Vučić,” said Warsaw-based analyst Radivože Grudzic. “He already has plans, but that does not in any way mean a political retirement, quite the opposite.”
Still, the timing of Saturday’s announcement suggests that the protests, the largest series of rallies since the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, played a role.
A few days ago, students in the city of Novi Sad paid tribute to the victims of the disaster and called for snap elections. Another student rally is planned for Sunday in the town of Kraljevo in south-central Serbia.
Both the student-led movement and opposition activists have said they want to challenge Vučić and social media in the election.
“By resigning and calling early presidential and parliamentary elections, Vučić is trying to pre-empt the inevitable fall from the protests and the student movement, which has more support than him,” said Savo Manojlović, leader of the student opposition Move-Change movement.
Although the position of president in Serbia is largely ceremonial, Vučić has wielded considerable influence over the party and government.
He has already floated the idea of becoming prime minister again, and several key allies have recently said publicly that he should do so.
In an interview with Reuters in February, Vučić said he did not know what he would do after his term ends, but did not rule out a return to party politics or a bid to become prime minister.
“I don’t want to get involved in politics much or at all, but to take care of my legacy, I might need some involvement. We’ll see,” he said.
During a rally in the sweltering heat, Vučić told supporters bussed in from across the country that students and anti-government demonstrators were trying to destroy the country and accused them of colluding with unnamed foreign forces, a charge the demonstrators deny.
“For the first time in a thousandth time, we reach out to you. We forgive you for everything you have done, but we are not naive. We will not forget what was done to this country last year.”
Serbia: between Russia and the EU
Although Serbia is a candidate for EU membership, Belgrade still has strong ties with Russia and China, a line that Vučić has had to walk throughout his time in power.
Before joining the EU, Serbia needs to improve the rule of law, including conditions for free and fair elections, and eradicate corruption and organized crime. It is also necessary to align the country’s foreign policy with that of the region.
Vučić vowed on Saturday that his party would fight corruption. He promised to increase pensions and funding for the poor, and improve state-run health services.
But opposition forces accused Vučić and his allies of violence against political opponents, widespread corruption, links to organized crime and suppressing press freedom. Vučić and his allies deny these allegations.
