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Serbia under Aleksandar Vučić and the 2026 parliamentary election

Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was defeated at parliamentary elections in 2026, ending a period of political dominance for the party after 14 years in government. Mr Vučić’s presidency of Serbia from 2017 to 2026 was marked by protests and international criticism over increasing authoritarianism.

Serbia under Aleksandar Vučić

The SNS had held the presidency since 2012. Aleksandar Vučić led the government as Prime Minister from 2014 to 2017 before becoming President in 2017. During his first presidential term from 2017 to 2022, the Freedom House human rights organisation referred to a sharp decline in freedom in Serbia. The European Commission expressed concern about a lack of media freedom, assaults on opposition and civil society activists, corruption, organised crime and state control of police and judiciary.

The conduct of parliamentary elections during this period has also come under scrutiny, with international election monitors and the European Parliament referring to misuse of public resources and other irregularities that gave the ruling party an unfair advantage.

Balancing relations with Russia and aspirations to join the EU

Serbia under Aleksandar Vučić’s leadership has balanced maintaining close relations with Russia and China with its aspirations to join the EU. Centre-left leaders had previously launched Serbia’s application to join the EU, and the EU granted Serbia EU candidate status in March 2012 after Serbia agreed to steps to normalise relations with Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia, backed by Russia, refuses to recognise its independence.

Serbia did not align itself with EU sanctions against Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Mr Vučić describing Serbia as a “true friend” of Russia. Serbia and Russia have increased cooperation since 2022 including through a foreign policy consultation agreement and through agreement of a new Russian gas supply contract to Serbia. At the same time, it has been reported that Serbia has been selling significant quantities of ammunition via western allies that has then been sent to support Ukraine, with President Vučić’s tacit approval.

Serbia’s non-alignment with EU sanctions has been criticised by the European Commission and European Parliament, with both stressing they expect states seeking accession to the EU to align with EU foreign policy positions. European Commission communications on Serbia have also stressed that for Serbia to progress faster in the EU accession process, it is important for it to pursue domestic reforms relating to the rule of law, and to normalise relations with Kosovo.

The EU is the largest provider of financial assistance to Serbia; it provides funding through programmes helping Serbia to prepare for accession to the EU, as well as funding linked to Serbia implementing certain reforms. The EU and Serbia also signed an agreement on critical minerals in 2024, as large lithium deposits in Serbia are of interest to EU car battery production.

European Commission statements on Serbia in 2025 and 2026 raised concerns around the Serbian Government backsliding on reforms, and its response to protestors, such that the Commission was reportedly considering freezing funding.

Serbia has also maintained close ties with China, with Serbia receiving a high level of economic investment from China. China is also Serbia’s largest military supplier. President Xi of China and President Vučić have referred to their countries’ “ironclad friendship”.

Protests since 2024

Protests in Serbia have intensified since November 2024, following the collapse of a concrete roof at Novi Sad railway station which killed 16 people. This was soon after a renovation project led by a Chinese consortium had been completed, and protestors called for public disclosure of the renovation contract and other infrastructure projects. This spread into wider protests focusing on alleged governmental negligence and corruption. The response of the government and state authorities also sparked further protests, with reports of police brutality and attacks on protestors by government supporters.

The protests led to the resignation and arrest of ministers and other public officials, and the resignation of the prime minister in early 2025. However, protests continued and grew bigger in 2025 and 2026, led by a student movement that also blockaded universities. The protests were joined by teachers, farmers and other workers, with continuing complaints of police violence towards the protestors, and calls for early parliamentary elections.

Protests at the end of 2025 also focused on decision-making behind a property development scheme at a protected cultural site, involving President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, which was eventually abandoned after officials involved in the decision were charged by prosecutors.

2026 parliamentary elections

On 9 September 2026, President Vučić dissolved Serbia’s parliament, with the election date set for 25 October. President Vučić stepped down as President in late September in order to run as the lead prime ministerial candidate for the SNS-led United Serbia electoral list. The President’s second five-year term of office was due to expire in 2027, and he would not be eligible to stand for President again as the Serbian constitution provides that a President can only be elected twice.

The student movement behind the protest presented a Student List for the parliamentary elections, putting forward candidates not previously involved in politics, including academics, actors and former sport stars. Its lead candidate was cardiologist and professor Ilija Srdanović. Other notable candidates included former governor of the Serbian central bank, Dejan Šoškić. Current students could not stand for the list.

Student List wins election

The Student List won 53.7% of the vote at the election and 141 seats in the 250-seat National Assembly, with Vučić’s SNS-led list achieving 39.5% of the vote and 103 seats. Mr Vučić conceded defeat while repeating claims made during the election that the student movement was a foreign-funded coup attempt aimed at bringing down the Serbian state.

The Student List’s victory was welcomed by European heads of government and the European Commission, with the European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos suggesting this could open the door to Serbia’s EU membership. The Student List focused on anti-corruption pledges and had avoided taking positions on controversial issues such as relations with Russia and the EU and the status of Kosovo.

The new National Assembly will convene within 30 days of the election, although government formation may be complicated by the need to hold a presidential election before the end of the year. The Student List had not in the immediate aftermath of the election indicated who it would put forward as its candidate for Prime Minister.