In this article
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić resigned on 27 September 2026, seven months before his second term was due to end, and the country will hold early parliamentary elections on 25 October. The move opens a path for him to seek the post of prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) wins and forms the next government.
The resignation
According to a Reuters report, Vučić announced he was stepping down early and said the first round of a presidential election would be held by the end of December. Under the timeline reported, a presidential vote must follow within 90 days of the resignation. Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić serves as interim president until a successor is chosen. Parliament had already been dissolved earlier in September to trigger the snap vote, as Reuters reported on 9 September.
What the vote decides
The 25 October ballot is for the national parliament, not the presidency. Vučić has dominated Serbian politics for more than a decade, and the reported plan is for him to lead the SNS list and then move to the prime minister’s office if the party forms a government. The government’s own framing is that the election renews its mandate; critics describe the resignation as a way to keep power while changing office. Both are characterisations from interested parties, so treat them as claims rather than settled fact.
The challengers
Reuters names two main opposition forces: Students Win, a student-led anti-corruption movement, and European Serbia, a pro-Western opposition alliance. The student movement grew out of nationwide protests after the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. Rights groups have criticised Vučić’s administration as increasingly authoritarian, a charge the government has rejected in the past. For background on the European security picture around the vote, see our coverage of Russia’s latest strikes on Kyiv and the European interior ministers’ border talks.
What to watch
Three things matter in the weeks ahead: the formal campaign period and whether opposition lists are allowed to compete on equal terms, the result on 25 October and the coalition arithmetic that follows, and the date set for the presidential first round. Election observers from European bodies typically publish preliminary findings the day after a vote; check the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights for any mission announcement. We will update this story as official results are published. If you are planning travel to the region, see our visa eligibility checker for entry rules.
Questions readers ask
When is the Serbian election?
Early parliamentary elections are set for 25 October 2026, according to Reuters.
Why did Vučić resign?
He said he would step down early. Reuters reports the move allows him to seek the prime minister’s post if the SNS wins and forms the next government.
Who is running the country now?
Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić is interim president until a new president is elected.
When is the presidential election?
Vučić said the first round would be held by the end of December 2026.
Who are the main opposition groups?
Reuters names Students Win, a student-led anti-corruption movement, and European Serbia, a pro-Western alliance.