Serbia will hold a snap parliamentary election on 25 October after President Aleksandar Vučić dissolved parliament, bringing forward a vote that had been scheduled for next year. Vučić, whose ruling Serbian Progressive Party has nominated him for prime minister, said the election was needed to address political tensions and safeguard democracy.
The announcement comes after nearly two years of anti-government demonstrations following the fatal Novi Sad railway station awning collapse in November 2024, which 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.”
Critics have accused the government of corruption and authoritarianism, while supporters point to economic development during Vučić’s time in office.
The snap election is widely seen as a pivotal test of Serbia’s political direction after nearly two years of sustained anti-government protests.
Beyond domestic politics, the outcome could shape Belgrade’s approach to democratic governance, its long-standing European Union accession process, and its foreign policy of balancing relations with the EU, Russia, China and other international partners.
ℹ️ Reuters
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