Serbia’s Vucic dissolves parliament, calls snap elections amid anti-corruption protests

Jerusalem Post/World NewsSerbia will hold snap elections on October 25 after President Vucic dissolved parliament, with the longtime leader seeking a new path back to the premiership.Follow us on GoogleSerbia's President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a joint press conference with Ukraine's President following their meeting at the Palace of Serbia, in Belgrade on August 8, 2026.(photo credit: Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP via Getty Images)SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 14:45Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday dissolved parliament and announced snap elections for next month as he seeks to extend his hold on power by running for prime minister.Vucic, a populist who has been in power as ‌president or prime minister for 12 years, has faced nearly two years of anti-corruption demonstrations triggered by the collapse of a railway station awning in the city of Novi Sad in November 2024 that killed 16 people."Were the elections necessary for us if there were no such tensions, if there were no such political conflicts, certainly they would not be necessary," Vucic said in a televised statement. He added that any delay in the election "would threaten the survival of democracy."He set the election date as October 25, confirming earlier statements on timing. A parliamentary vote was initially scheduled for next year.Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic attends a meeting with Ukrainian President at the Palace of Serbia, in Belgrade on August 8, 2026. (credit: Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP via Getty Images)Growing animosity against Vucic's authoritarianismVucic ​has ruled as prime minister or president since 2014 and held the strings of power in both positions. While he has overseen a chapter of economic development, he has faced growing rancor against perceived corruption and authoritarianism.Still, he commands support from his ruling Serbian Progressive Party, which on Saturday nominated him to run for prime minister in the upcoming elections. It is unclear if Vucic will resign from his position as president before the parliamentary elections or after.Follow us on Google