Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced his resignation on 27/9, stating, "I will resign as president." He added, "Tomorrow morning I will hand over my duties to the speaker of the national assembly." Vucic delivered his resignation speech from the presidential palace in the capital, Belgrade, where supporters gathered outside, chanting his name.

Vucic speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 23/9. *Photo: AP*

Elected president in 2017 and re-elected in 2022, Vucic is cutting short his second term to contend for the prime minister's office in an early election scheduled for October. This move is not legally mandated, but Serbia's constitution prohibits a president from serving more than two terms. Vucic expressed his desire to "run as an ordinary person" and currently leads the electoral list for the right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

Just before his resignation, Vucic utilized his constitutional authority to pardon 49 individuals, 23 of whom were involved in recent protests. Among those pardoned were students and loyalists of the SNS party, suspected of illegal acts during demonstrations. Vucic stated, "I have decided to pardon 49 people, 23 of whom are related to the terrible events we have experienced over the past 1,5 years", referring to the protests.

Under Serbian law, Speaker of the National Assembly Ana Brnabic will assume the role of acting president for a period of up to three months. A new presidential election will be held during this interim period.

The upcoming early election in October is a key demand of a student-led movement that gained momentum following the collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad train station in November 2024. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of 16 people, with many attributing the cause to corruption.

The moment the canopy at the Novi Sad train station, Serbia collapsed in November 2024. *Video: Nexta*

The Novi Sad tragedy sparked some of the largest protests Serbia has witnessed, at times attracting hundreds of thousands of participants. Initial calls for a transparent investigation evolved into demands for early elections. While Vucic had previously promised early elections without setting a specific date, he called for them on 25/10 earlier this month, citing a "volatile domestic political situation."

Pham Giang (According to AFP, Guardian)