Serbian President Vucic says he will resign within weeks; move comes amid student protests

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced Saturday that he will resign within weeks, paving the way for early presidential and parliamentary elections. Vucic, who has held power for 12 years as either president or prime minister, made the declaration at a pro-government rally in Belgrade.

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I will be president for only a couple more weeks, and then I will resign

The announcement comes amid 18 months of persistent anti-government protests, largely driven by students. These demonstrations were initially sparked by a deadly railway station awning collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people. Protesters and rights groups allege the incident is symptomatic of broader government mismanagement and corruption in construction projects.

Vucic's second and final presidential term was not due to end until mid-2027. He stated his intention to help his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) secure victory in the upcoming elections, proposing the list be named 'United Serbia.' The exact timing of his resignation and the dissolution of parliament remains unspecified.

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My proposal is for our list, the winning list in the upcoming elections, to be named 'United Serbia.'

Analysts believe Vucic's move is strategic, potentially allowing him to transition to the role of prime minister if his party wins the parliamentary vote. This would enable him to retain significant political power. "This is not at all the end of Vucic," said Warsaw-based analyst Radivoje Grujic. "He already has a plan, one that definitely does not mean he's going to go into political retirement, quite the opposite."

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This is not at all the end of Vucic. He already has a plan, one that definitely does not mean he's going to go into political retirement, quite the opposite.

The protests, described as the largest since the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, appear to have influenced Vucic's decision. Student-led movements and opposition groups have voiced their intention to challenge Vucic and the SNS in the elections. Savo Manojlovic, head of the Move-Change movement, stated that Vucic's resignation and early elections are an attempt to "preempt his inevitable fall" due to the protests and the student movement's growing support.

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By resigning and with early presidential and parliamentary elections, Vucic is trying to preempt his inevitable fall, because of protests and because of the student movement, which has more support than he does.