Serbia's President Vucic says he will resign within weeks amid protests

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic has said he will step down within weeks, opening the way for early presidential and parliamentary elections. He made the announcement at a pro-government rally in Belgrade, telling supporters that he would be president for only a short time longer. The move comes after months of student-led anti-government protests that have shaken the country.

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Vucic said he would resign in "a couple of weeks" but did not give a precise date. He also did not say when any election for parliament or for a new president would be held. His current second and final presidential term was due to expire in mid-2027, meaning the announcement would bring forward the political timetable if carried out as stated.

The president linked his remarks to support for the Serbian Progressive Party, saying he would help the party at the upcoming elections. He told the crowd that it was probably the last time he would address them as Serbia's president. The statement was made in the capital, Belgrade, at a rally organised in support of his government.

The announcement matters because it comes after sustained unrest that has challenged Vucic's long dominance of Serbian politics. Tens of thousands of people have been protesting across Serbia since November 2024, after the Novi Sad rail station disaster killed 16 people and triggered anger over the government's handling of the crisis. The protests have become a wider test of public trust in the authorities and of the country's political direction.

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The unrest has already had direct political consequences. In January 2025, then-Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned amid the pressure, showing how the protests have affected the governing camp. Vucic has repeatedly accused protesters of being foreign agents and of trying to destabilise the state, while critics have accused the police of excessive force and arbitrary arrests.

The European Union has also criticised the handling of policing during the demonstrations. What remains unclear is the exact timing of Vucic's resignation and whether the country will first hold parliamentary elections, a presidential vote, or both. It is also not yet clear how the opposition and the student movement will respond in the coming days.

Students are due to hold their own gathering in Kraljevo on Sunday, where they are expected to renew calls for early elections and national unity.

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