BELGRADE — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has resigned from office to run for prime minister in an upcoming snap parliamentary election scheduled for October 25, 2026, amid persistent student-led demonstrations challenging his leadership.
Vucic, who is barred by law from seeking a third term as president, is attempting to maintain his influence in Serbian governance through the parliamentary vote on the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) ballot. Vucic has dominated the country’s political scene as either president or prime minister since 2014. Following his resignation, Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic, a key ally of Vucic, has assumed the role of acting president until a presidential election is conducted.
In one of his final official actions before stepping down, Vucic issued pardons for 49 individuals, including 23 people who had been convicted of offenses connected to recent public demonstrations.
The political shift follows nearly two years of widespread unrest triggered by the November 1, 2024 collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, an incident that killed 16 people. In the wake of the disaster, student groups organized some of the largest street demonstrations in Serbia in decades, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants.
Demonstrators have repeatedly accused Vucic’s administration of political corruption, institutional interference, and a lack of governance transparency. Vucic and members of his governing coalition have denied the allegations, rejecting responsibility for the administrative and institutional issues cited by protest leaders.
The student movement has formally entered the electoral contest under the political coalition banner “Students Win.” The group is supported by several opposition organizations, including the Democratic Party formerly led by past Serbian President Boris Tadic. The coalition’s ballot list features 250 candidates, comprised predominantly of university professors and technical professionals.
Some political polling indicates that the student-backed coalition could present a challenge to the ruling SNS party, though the methodology and authenticity of available polling data remain unverified independently.
Addressing the political atmosphere, former parliamentarian and human rights activist Aida Corovic stated to [Al Jazeera News](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/27/serbian-president-aleksandar-vucic-resigns-amid-prolonged-protests?traffic_source=rss) that public anger extends beyond student groups, warning that political volatility may persist past the vote. Corovic expressed concern that institutional control and political tensions could escalate the domestic crisis following the October 25 election outcome.
Sources
– [Al Jazeera News](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/27/serbian-president-aleksandar-vucic-resigns-amid-prolonged-protests?traffic_source=rss)
Source: Al Jazeera News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Al Jazeera News — source
