Serbia Calls Snap October Polls as Vucic Faces Protest Wave

Serbia is set to hold an early parliamentary election on October 25, a move that will test President Aleksandar Vucic's grip on power after nearly two years of sustained street protests.

Vucic, who is constitutionally barred from seeking another presidential term, has indicated he will run for prime minister instead. He issued a decree dissolving the 250-member parliament to pave the way for the vote, citing deep divisions within the Balkan nation.

"We have had huge turbulences," Vucic said in an address. "We need election results that will clearly show the will of the people and the direction where Serbia is going."

The announcement comes against a backdrop of heightened political tension. The protest movement, which began after a train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad killed 16 people in November 2024, has grown into near-daily demonstrations that have at times drawn hundreds of thousands of participants. Protesters are demanding accountability for the tragedy and an end to the corruption they say led to substandard renovation work.

Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have faced accusations of curbing democratic freedoms and having ties to organized crime—charges he denies. Serbia's European Union accession bid has stalled under his leadership, even as he has maintained close ties with Moscow and Beijing.

A student-backed election list, expected to include university professors and experts, has gained significant support among Serbia's 6.5 million voters. Analysts suggest this challenger could pose a serious threat to the ruling populists, drawing parallels to this year's Hungarian election where an opposition figure defeated a long-entrenched leader.

The authorities have responded forcefully to the protests, with hundreds of people detained or losing their jobs for supporting the demonstrations. Vucic has accused the student movement of seeking to "destroy the state" and has alleged, without providing evidence, that foreign powers are interfering in Serbia's internal affairs.

Vucic has said he will resign the presidency in the coming weeks to campaign for the parliamentary vote, with a separate early presidential election to follow.