The Serbian government formally proposed the dissolution of Parliament on Monday, initiating the official procedures required to schedule an early parliamentary election. This political maneuver could lead to President Aleksandar Vucic transitioning into the role of prime minister. While Vucic is expected to formally set the election date later this week, he has indicated that the ballot is likely to be held on October 25.
The push for an early vote follows a period of intense domestic unrest. Protests began across Serbia following a tragedy on November 1, 2024, at a train station in northern Serbia, where a concrete canopy collapse in Novi Sad resulted in 16 deaths. Demonstrators have demanded accountability for the collapse, citing corruption and poor-quality renovation work as the underlying causes. These demonstrations, which have spanned more than a year and occasionally drawn hundreds of thousands of people, have challenged Vucic more significantly than at any other point during his 14 years in power.
President Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have faced persistent accusations of curbing democratic freedoms and maintaining ties to organized crime, allegations the president has denied. Under his leadership, Serbia’s bid to join the European Union has stalled, even as he has maintained close relationships with both Russia and China. Furthermore, Vucic has faced additional pressure from the European Union over the past week regarding public homage paid to convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb army commander who was buried as a hero in Serbia on Monday despite his U.N. court conviction.
Vucic has announced his intention to resign from his current post to participate in the parliamentary campaign. Because he has served two nearly full terms, he is ineligible to run for the presidency again, and a separate early presidential election will be held. The president has taken a firm stance against the protesters, accusing the students and professors leading the movement of intending to “destroy the state,” and has faced international concern regarding police violence and arbitrary detentions. An election list backed by students is expected to include university professors and experts, as the populist party continues to maintain its control over national institutions and mainstream media since coming to power in 2012.
