After more than a year and a half of protests against the government and corruption, Serbia is heading toward snap parliamentary elections.
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President Aleksandar Vučić announced that the vote is expected to take place on October 18 or 25, 2026.
In an interview with state broadcaster RTS, Vučić said that one of these two dates would be election day, while the final decision is expected to be made in the coming days.
Under the normal timetable, parliamentary elections would have been held in 2027.
The protests, led primarily by students, have continued for months, with demands concerning institutional accountability, the fight against corruption, and the holding of snap elections.
The student movement gained strength after the collapse of a canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024, in which 16 people lost their lives.
Will Vučić return as prime minister?
The announcement of the elections comes at a time when Aleksandar Vučić’s political future remains one of the main issues in Serbia.
At the end of June, the Serbian president said he would step down and that the country would move toward snap elections.
However, he has not yet specified when he will resign in order to clear the way for presidential elections.
Meanwhile, speculation has been circulating for weeks that Vučić could return to the post of prime minister if the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) wins the parliamentary elections.
Vučić held the post from 2014 to 2017, before being elected president.
Analysts believe that a return to the head of government would enable him to retain political influence even after leaving the presidency.
Protests have shaken the government
The political crisis in Serbia erupted after the tragedy in Novi Sad, which developed into a broad student movement against corruption and Vučić’s style of governance.
Pressure from the protesters has been one of the main factors pushing the authorities toward discussing snap elections. Now, with the two dates on the table, the political battle is expected to enter a new phase.
If the elections are held on October 18 or 25, they will represent an important test for the SNS and for the student movement that has challenged Vučić’s government for months.
