Serbian President Vučić Resigns to Run for Prime Minister

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić formally resigned on September 27, 2026, announcing his departure during a televised address from the presidential palace in Belgrade. The resignation, announced to the nation and formalized in writing, transfers presidential duties to National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabić, a senior member of Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Under Serbia's constitution, a presidential election must be held within three months—before December 27.

Vučić's decision to step down enables him to contest snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25 as a candidate for prime minister, a position he cannot hold while serving as president. The move circumvents a constitutional two-term limit on the presidency, which would otherwise have prevented him from seeking further political office after his second term ends in May 2027. Vučić, who has held either the office of prime minister or president for the past 12 years, will head the SNS electoral list in the parliamentary contest.

The resignation comes against a backdrop of sustained anti-government and anti-corruption protests that intensified following the November 1, 2024, train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. These demonstrations have given rise to the Student List coalition, a youth-backed movement led by 56-year-old cardiologist Ilija Srdanović, which has emerged as a significant political challenger. Sociological polling indicates that the SNS and Student List remain the two leading political forces, though different surveys offer varying predictions about the parliamentary election outcome.

Analysts describe the October 25 contest as a tight race with a referendum-like atmosphere. Vučić has intensified campaigning in recent weeks, conducting televised tours across the country, inaugurating infrastructure projects, announcing social assistance measures, and visiting voters' homes. The SNS faces accusations from opposition parties and nongovernmental organizations of fomenting violence during student protests, while authorities have employed police force and detentions against demonstrators—charges the government disputes. The Student List campaign has employed grassroots methods, with student groups touring the country by bicycle to promote themes of rule of law and anti-corruption.

On September 26, one day before his formal resignation, Vučić spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, informing him of the impending resignation and discussing bilateral relations, the Balkan situation, and the status of the NIS energy company. The leaders emphasized the inadmissibility of external interference in Serbia's electoral processes. Following his resignation, Vučić will serve as an ordinary citizen during the parliamentary campaign. The presidential election itself is not expected to be held until after the October 25 parliamentary vote, and candidates for the presidency have not yet been publicly announced.