BELGRADE — Thousands of supporters packed the largest indoor arena in Belgrade on Saturday for a rally launching Aleksandar Vucic's campaign for prime minister. Serbia will hold a parliamentary election on October 25.

The early election was called before Vucic resigned as president on September 27. His resignation cut short his second presidential term by more than seven months, as he is constitutionally prohibited from running for a third term as president. Upon resigning, Vucic declared that he would lead the Serbian Progressive Party in the parliamentary election. If the party wins a majority of seats, the parliament is expected to elect him as prime minister.

Dozens of buses from across Serbia clogged streets around Belgrade Arena on Saturday as supporters arrived at the rally. Attendees carried Serbian flags and banners bearing Vucic’s picture, while the event was televised by dozens of channels across Serbia. The gathering capped a week of Vucic touring towns and villages.

Vucic has been either prime minister or president for the past 12 years. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia from 2008 to 2012, prior to founding the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in 2013. Vucic has been the president of Serbia from 2017 to 2026, and prior to that, he served as prime minister from 2012 to 2017, making him the longest-serving leader in Serbia since the fall of Slobodan Milošević in 2000.

Former President of Serbia Vucic accused those behind the protest movement of seeking to “bring Serbia to halt.” He claimed, without providing evidence, that the protest movement is backed by unspecified foreign agents. He said that absent an intervention by some foreign intelligence service, his side would defeat them, and that they know that. Polls suggest the election could be tight between Vucic’s party and candidates fielded by the student-led protest movement.

There have been reports of incidents and physical altercations at campaign events in Serbia. International observers have described previous elections in Serbia as marred by multiple irregularities and violence. Serbia is formally a candidate for European Union membership, but its accession process has stalled under Vucic.

He maintains close ties with Russia and China. European institutions have warned of democratic backsliding in Serbia in successive reports tracking the progress of candidate countries. Rights and media freedom groups have warned of police violence, arbitrary detentions, unauthorized surveillance and threats against journalists in Serbia.

Timeline

On March 15, 2024, the Student List, the electoral arm of the protest movement, was formally registered as a political party in Serbia on March 15, 2024, following the Novi Sad train station collapse. A youth-backed protest movement has demanded accountability for the November 1, 2024 train station canopy collapse that killed 16 people in Novi Sad.

Vucic's campaign for prime minister was launched at a rally in the Belgrade Arena on October 3, 2026, which was described as the de-facto launch of his campaign for prime minister. The Serbian Progressive Party's major pre-election rally was held at the Belgrade Arena on October 3, 2026, with performances by notable Serbian artists and the presence of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Vucic formally handed over his presidential duties on October 4, 2026, and began direct talks with citizens across Serbia for the October 25 parliamentary elections.

What's New

Vucic launched his campaign for prime minister at a rally in the Belgrade Arena on Saturday.

The Belgrade Arena, where Vucic launched his campaign, is one of the largest indoor venues in Southeast Europe, with a capacity of over 20,000 people. The Student List, the electoral arm of the youth-led protest movement, was formed in 2024 following the Novi Sad train station collapse. The Student List was formally registered as a political party in Serbia on March 15, 2024.

Why It Matters

The election determines whether Vucic will return to the role of prime minister after serving as president for nine years. The contest pits his long-dominant Serbian Progressive Party against the Student List, a new political force emerging from protests over a fatal infrastructure collapse. Polls suggest the race could be tight, reflecting public dissatisfaction that has grown over two years of demonstrations.

The outcome carries implications for Serbia's foreign policy orientation and its stalled bid for European Union membership. European institutions have cited democratic backsliding as a barrier to accession, while Vucic has maintained close ties with Russia and China. International observers have previously noted irregularities in Serbian elections, and rights groups have raised concerns about police conduct and media freedom during the campaign period.