Serbian President Agrees to Snap Elections?

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, succumbing to pressure from the largest anti-government protests in recent years, has announced his readiness to hold early parliamentary elections. This was reported by The Financial Times.

Initially, parliamentary elections were scheduled for December 2027, but strong public pressure has forced Vucic to reconsider his position.

The immediate trigger for the powerful wave of protests was the anniversary of the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station, which resulted in the deaths of 16 people. This tragedy, which many attribute to corrupt schemes and violations of construction norms, was the last straw and brought tens of thousands of people to the streets. The protesters are demanding not only early elections but also government accountability. This movement is considered the most serious challenge to Vucic's decade-long rule.

At the center of the opposition field is the student movement, which is preparing to participate in the elections with its own list of candidates. Public opinion polls show that this movement currently surpasses Vucic's ruling "Serbian Progressive Party" (SNS) by more than 10 percentage points. The movement's representative, Milutin Miljanić, has declared their full readiness:

However, Vucic's administration is not showing any haste. The president's aides clarify that a final decision on the elections has not yet been made, and they will most likely not take place earlier than the end of next year. The opposition considers the president's statement an attempt to buy time and quell the wave of protests. According to analysts, Vucic is acting without a clear long-term strategy, trying simply to maintain control under growing pressure, creating an atmosphere of political uncertainty.