Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced Saturday that he will resign his post within weeks, a move that will pave the way for early elections. The announcement comes after more than a year of youth-led protests against his increasingly autocratic rule.
Vucic, speaking to thousands of supporters in Belgrade, stated that he would serve as president for "several weeks more" before submitting his resignation. He indicated his intention to support his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party in the upcoming elections, which he predicted they would win convincingly.
"This was probably the last time I address you as Serbia's president," Vucic told the crowd. He did not specify the exact timing of his resignation or when new elections, either for Parliament or the presidency, would be held. Vucic is currently serving his second term and is constitutionally barred from running for president again. Regular presidential and parliamentary elections were already scheduled for next year.
The protests, initiated by university students, have been demanding early parliamentary elections for over a year. Vucic has previously resisted setting a date for new elections. The demonstrations gained momentum following a November 2024 train station accident in northern Serbia that killed 16 people. Protesters have attributed the accident to alleged corruption-fueled negligence in state infrastructure projects.
Vucic has faced criticism from the European Union regarding democratic backsliding in Serbia, including a crackdown on media. Authorities have detained hundreds of people, and police have been accused of excessive force and arbitrary arrests during the protests.