European Security — 2026-06-28

Serbian President Vucic Announces Plans to Resign Within Weeks and Call Early Elections Amid Ongoing Mass Protests

BLUFVucic will likely submit his presidential resignation within seven weeks, but the move is a managed position-switch to prime minister that preserves rather than diminishes his control over Serbian governance.

Vucic told thousands at a pro-government rally in Belgrade on Saturday that he would resign "within weeks" and call early presidential and parliamentary elections 1234. Student-led anti-government protests have run since the November 2024 Novi Sad railway station collapse that killed 16 people, with opposition figures and protesters attributing the disaster to corruption in state infrastructure projects 124. Vucic named no date for his resignation or for parliamentary dissolution; his second and final presidential term was not due to expire until mid-2027 12. CNN reported he has previously floated becoming prime minister, and a Warsaw-based analyst told the outlet the move is "not at all the end of Vucic" 2.

Analysis
Vucic's resignation pledge is likely to produce formal submission to the National Assembly within the next seven weeks. High confidence reflects his public commitment before tens of thousands and corroboration across three independently sourced outlets. Serbian law bars a third presidential term and SNS allies have publicly floated his return as prime minister, making this a position-switch rather than political exit and overturning the May assessment that protests would yield no concrete concession before year-end. Vucic may instead have moved to seize the election timeline before protests forced a less favorable exit, preserving SNS's ability to install a loyalist in the presidency. EU accession negotiators gain a defined window to press electoral conditions if he resigns before August 15. Absent that, protest momentum dissipates and SNS holds its structural advantage into 2027.

4 sources