Serbia's populist President Vucic resigns to run for prime minister at early vote

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic resigned on Sunday to pursue a bid to become the prime minister in an upcoming early parliamentary election that will test his firm rule in the Balkan country after nearly two years of protests.

Vucic’s second presidential term would otherwise end in May next year. He is banned by the Serbian Constitution from seeking a third term and said he was resigning to lead his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party in the Oct. 25 ballot.

The governing populists faces a major challenge at the ballot from a youth-backed movement that led the protests triggered by the Nov. 1, 2024, train station canopy collapse that killed 16 people in the northern city of Novi Sad.

University students demanded accountability for the tragedy. Their struggle for justice and against corruption has grown into a strong movement that will attempt to oust Vucic’s government after 14 years in power. Vucic himself has been either prime minister or president for the past 12 years.

“I am resigning the duty of the President of the Republic,” Vucic said, reading the text of his resignation.

The ballot in October will be held against a backdrop of high political tensions as Vucic’s populists seek to remain in office despite widespread popular discontent. His decision to run for the prime minister is seen both as an attempt to retain a top position, and to boost his party’s chances against the student movement.

Vucic in recent weeks has toured the country tirelessly in a live coverage on pro-government media. He has opened new roads, offered assistance money and cheaper medicines, and visited voters in their homes. More recently, Vucic was filmed driving in his brother’s car to some of the events.

The prime minister in Serbia is formally more powerful than the president. But Vucic still took a dominant role during his two five-year terms, sometimes presiding over government sessions and routinely announcing all important decisions and plans.

Independent Bureau for Social Research, or BIRODI, has filed a complaint alleging that Vucic has abused a public institution as president to promote his party, which he has dismissed. There has been no response from the anti-corruption authorities that are under government control.

After Vucic’s resignation, the acting president will be a close ally and former prime minister, Ana Brnabic, who is the outgoing speaker of Serbia’s 250-member Parliament. After a new Parliament is elected in the Oct. 25 ballot, the new speaker will take over from Brnabic, appoint the prime minister and schedule a presidential vote.

Vucic and his party have been accused of rampant corruption, organized crime links and a clampdown on democratic freedoms, including the critical media. The SNS party has gradually taken control over all state institutions since coming to power in 2012, while denying abuse of office and repeatedly pledging to fight graft.

The student-backed election list includes little-known experts, professors, teachers, athletes and other individuals from all walks of life. Groups of students have been touring the country on bicycles as part of their campaign urging the rule of law and an end to corruption.

Analysts say that the student group and Vucic are polling close, heralding a tight race and a referendum-like atmosphere. Also running are Vucic’s allies, the Socialist Party, a pro-EU opposition alliance and several smaller groups.

Authorities have pushed hard against protesters with police violence and detentions as Vucic accused without offering evidence his opponents and critical media of an intention to “destroy the state” under unspecified foreign influence.

He told Serbia’s state RTS Television earlier on Sunday that foreign powers and unidentified people in the country plan to stir unrest in the election night.

Serbia’s efforts to join the European Union have stalled under Vucic because of democratic backsliding and a refusal to join sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine.