Aleksandar Vučić resigns as Serbian president to run for prime minister

Resignation and presidential succession

Aleksandar Vučić announced his resignation as President of Serbia on Sunday evening during an address to supporters outside the presidential palace in Belgrade. The decision ends his second five-year term seven months ahead of schedule, clearing the legal path for him to seek the prime minister office. Vučić addressed hundreds of flag-waving supporters gathered in the city center before formalizing his departure from office. Under the Serbian constitution, outgoing parliament speaker Ana Brnabić assumes the role of interim president starting Monday morning. The constitution requires the presidential election process to conclude within 90 days, with the official campaign period lasting between 30 and 60 days. Vučić confirmed that the first round of the presidential election will take place before the end of December.

“I have faithfully served you and my fatherland, Serbia, and I am proud of what we have done together.”

Return to executive power

The 56-year-old political leader will head the candidate list for the ruling Serbian Progressive Party in the snap parliamentary election scheduled for 25 October. Because Serbia is a parliamentary republic, full executive authority is vested in the prime minister and the cabinet, while the presidency functions primarily as a representative role with foreign and security powers. Vučić previously served as deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2014 and as prime minister from 2014 to 2017 before assuming the presidency. Although he formally stepped down as party president, he continues to direct the Serbian Progressive Party apparatus. Securing a parliamentary majority in October would allow Vučić to take office as prime minister and maintain his central position in government.

Opposition challenge and protest roots

The October snap vote follows nearly two years of demonstrations led by student organizations across the country. Public protests expanded significantly after November 2024, when a newly renovated railway station roof collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 16 people. The incident prompted demands for official accountability, anti-corruption enforcement, and early parliamentary balloting. Human rights organizations have criticized Vučić and his administration for increasing authoritarian control, while demonstrators have reported instances of police violence and arbitrary detentions, which state officials deny. In the upcoming legislative contest, the Serbian Progressive Party and its partners face the student movement Students Win and the pro-Western opposition bloc European Serbia. Neither opposition alliance has announced its presidential candidate for the December ballot.

Foreign policy and Kremlin response

Throughout his presidential mandate, Vučić balanced European Union membership goals with economic partnerships in China and natural gas imports from Russia. The Serbian leadership also developed diplomatic ties with the United States and Israel during this period. The Kremlin stated on Monday that relations between Moscow and Belgrade will remain constructive across all sectors following the presidential resignation. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with Vučić on Saturday before the resignation took place.

“Obviously, relations between Russia and Serbia are far more important than relationships with individual figures; we are confident that our ties will continue to develop in a highly constructive manner across all sectors.”

The transfer of presidential duties to Brnabić on Monday morning establishes the interim leadership while campaigning proceeds for both upcoming ballots.