فوتشيتش يستقيل من رئاسة صربيا.. تمهيدًا لانتخابات مبكرة

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced his resignation from office today, Sunday, before the end of his term, in a move that comes ahead of the early parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25, paving the way for early presidential elections in the country.

Vučić's resignation follows his announcement of his intention to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections as a candidate for the position of Prime Minister, after being chosen by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party to lead its electoral list, should he succeed in forming the next government.

Earlier, Vučić had announced that he would resign from the presidency at the end of September, coinciding with the country's preparations for the early parliamentary elections, which he called for after dissolving the National Assembly on September 9.

According to the Serbian constitution, the Speaker of the National Assembly temporarily assumes the duties of the President of the Republic following a resignation, until a new president is elected, with the period not exceeding three months. Ana Brnabić, the Speaker of the National Assembly, serves as acting president during this phase.

The resignation opens the way for Vučić to transition from the position of head of state to parliamentary competition, at a time when Serbia is preparing for elections that will see the participation of the ruling party and its allies, alongside a student movement leading ongoing protests in the country.

On September 9, Vučić signed a decree to dissolve the National Assembly elected in December 2023 and called for early parliamentary elections on October 25, based on a proposal submitted by the Serbian government.

Vučić has held the position of President of Serbia since 2017 and began his second presidential term in 2022, while the constitution prohibits the election of a president for more than two terms, prompting him to move towards the position of Prime Minister in the upcoming phase.

The elections come amid political tensions and ongoing student protests since the collapse of the railway station canopy in the city of Novi Sad in November 2024, an incident that resulted in the deaths of 16 people and sparked a wave of widespread protests against the government.

The early presidential elections are expected to be held within the constitutionally specified period following Vučić's resignation, while the country will hold early parliamentary elections on October 25, which may determine the shape of the next government and Vučić's role in the Serbian political scene.