Serbian President Vucic to Resign, Triggering Elections

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Saturday, June 27, 2026, that he will resign his office within weeks, a move that will trigger early presidential and parliamentary elections. The announcement came during a rally of his supporters in Belgrade and follows more than a year of sustained anti-government protests led by university students.

Vucic, a populist leader whose Serbian Progressive Party has held power for 14 years, told the crowd he would be president for only a few more weeks before submitting his resignation. He stated he would then help his party campaign for the upcoming votes, predicting a convincing victory. Vucic, currently serving his second and final term, did not specify an exact resignation date or set a timeline for the elections, which were originally scheduled for 2027.

The political pressure on Vucic has grown from a wave of protests that began in November 2024 after a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad, killing 16 people. Protesters have linked the tragedy to alleged corruption and mismanagement in state infrastructure projects. The student-led demonstrations, which have sometimes turned violent, have consistently...