Belgrade, Sept. 10 (AFP) – Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he is considering resigning and raised the prospect of combining the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections, a development that could reshape the nation’s political calendar.
Resignation plan and election timing
Vučić’s comments were reported by the online portal 021.rs, which quoted the president as asking, “Is it possible to overlap presidential and parliamentary elections?” The same outlet noted that the timing of a possible resignation has not been fixed, but another Serbian news site, srpske.rs, said Vučić intends to step down on Sept. 27, at which point Prime Minister Ana Brnabić would assume the presidency.
President Aleksandar Vučić said he is contemplating resignation and asked whether presidential and parliamentary elections could be held simultaneously.
Serbia’s constitution requires separate elections for the two offices, but Vučić’s suggestion has sparked debate among legal scholars and opposition parties about whether a combined vote would be permissible under current law. Analysts note that merging the elections could compress the political timetable and potentially advantage the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has dominated Serbian politics since Vučić became prime minister in 2012 and president in 2017.
Student protests and broader political climate
Amid the president’s announcements, student groups have intensified their criticism of Vučić’s rule, as reported by euractiv.com. The outlet highlighted a series of campus demonstrations in Belgrade and other cities, where students demanded greater democratic freedoms and expressed concerns over media independence and electoral fairness.
The student movement, which has previously organized rallies against perceived authoritarian drift, is now targeting the proposed election overlap, arguing that it could further consolidate power and limit transparency. While the protests have not yet turned violent, they have drawn attention from European Union officials who have called for “a clear and level‑playing field” ahead of any electoral reforms.
Opposition parties, though not directly quoted in the available reports, have traditionally warned that any deviation from the established electoral schedule could undermine democratic norms. The potential resignation and election merger therefore arrive at a politically sensitive moment, with Serbia slated to hold regular parliamentary elections in 2026 and a presidential vote due in 2026 as well.
If Vučić does resign on the stated date, the constitution provides for the speaker of the National Assembly to serve as interim president until elections are held. However, srpske.rs specifically indicated that Prime Minister Brnabić would take over, suggesting an expedited transfer of power that could bypass the usual interim arrangements.
The coming weeks are expected to see heightened scrutiny of Serbia’s legal framework for elections, as well as increased pressure from both domestic civil society and international observers to ensure any changes adhere to democratic standards. Vučić’s next public appearance is scheduled for a press conference later this week, where he is likely to clarify his intentions and respond to the growing calls for transparency.
