BELGRADE — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Monday that early presidential and parliamentary elections will be held within the next three to four months, reiterating plans to resign before the vote following more than a year of anti-government protests.
"Yes, it is logical that we will have elections soon, and when I say soon I mean the next three-four months," Vucic said, adding he could step down in July, August or September. He has not specified an exact resignation date.
Vucic first announced his intention to resign on June 27 at a rally of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Belgrade, telling supporters he would remain president "for only a couple of weeks" before stepping down. His second and final term had been due to expire in mid-2027. Under Serbia's constitution, a presidential election must be held within 90 days of a formal resignation, with the parliamentary speaker serving as acting president in the interim, according to Reuters.
Vucic said he has not decided whether he will seek the post of prime minister if the SNS wins the parliamentary vote. "Whatever I decide and whatever decision I make, it will be transparent, just like I have done by announcing my resignation," he said.
The announcement follows 18 months of anti-government demonstrations led by university students, triggered by the November 2024 collapse of a railway station awning in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. Protesters and opposition groups have alleged the disaster reflected broader government corruption and mismanagement, which Vucic and his allies deny. Savo Manojlovic, head of the opposition Move-Change Movement, said Vucic was seeking to "preempt his inevitable fall" by calling elections.
Vucic has not yet dissolved parliament, a required step before early parliamentary elections can proceed. The timing of his resignation and the formal election schedule remain unconfirmed.
