Serbia's president dissolves parliament, calls snap election

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has dissolved parliament and announced that an early parliamentary election will be held on Oct. 25.

Vučić said Wednesday that the election, which had initially been expected to take place next year, was brought forward because of rising political tensions in the country. He said an early vote would not have been necessary without the political confrontations.

“If there had been no such tensions and political conflicts, elections would not have been necessary for us,” Vučić said in a televised address.

The Serbian president also stressed that postponing the election “could jeopardize the existence of democracy.”

Vučić has faced anti-corruption protests that have continued in the country for nearly two years. The protests began after the roof of a railway station in Novi Sad collapsed in November 2024, killing 16 people.

The tragedy further increased public dissatisfaction over government accountability and alleged corruption.

Aleksandar Vučić has served as Serbia’s prime minister or president since 2014 and has remained the country’s dominant political figure during that period.

The ruling Serbian Progressive Party nominated Vučić as its candidate for prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary election on Saturday. It remains unclear whether he will leave the presidency before or after the election.

Although Serbia has experienced economic growth during Vučić’s rule, his government has faced growing criticism over allegations of corruption and authoritarianism.

Serbia’s snap election comes amid a broader period of political polarization. Parliamentary elections are a central mechanism for determining the composition of the country’s government and legislature, while the president’s decision to dissolve parliament formally begins the electoral process.