Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on Saturday that he will step down from office in the coming weeks to lead the campaign for the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the next parliamentary election. Speaking to a large gathering outside the national assembly in Belgrade, Vučić said this would be his final address as Serbian president to such a major crowd. The upcoming electoral list for the ruling party will run under the name ‘United Serbia.’
The announcement came during a massive rally organized by the SNS on Vidovdan, a highly significant national and religious holiday in Serbia. Held under the slogan ‘Serbia, One Family,’ the event served as the unofficial launch of the party’s campaign and a direct counter-response to ongoing, student-led anti-government protests that have persisted for more than a year and a half. These protests intensified following a November 2024 tragedy in Novi Sad, where the collapse of a concrete railway station canopy killed 16 people—an incident students and opposition groups blame on state corruption and negligence.
Supporters from across the country traveled to Belgrade for the rally, which featured policy booths and an exhibition critical of the opposition, entitled ‘Blockaders’ Serbia: 19 Months of Violence, Harassment, Insults, Threats and Rejection of Dialogue.’ During his speech, Vučić accused foreign actors of attempting to destabilize the country and claimed that the protesting students were being manipulated by outside forces. He also promised to accelerate the process of Serbia joining the European Union while maintaining traditional relations with Russia and China.
Despite the ongoing protests and calls from the opposition for early elections, the ruling party maintains a strong lead in public opinion over one year before the parliamentary elections in 2027. According to a recent poll by the Faktor Plus agency, the SNS holds approximately 47% support among voters, while the student-led movement registers at just under 31%.
