Serbia's government proposes dissolving parliament for snap election

September 7, 2026 at 10:09 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Serbia's government proposed dissolving parliament on Monday, paving the way for early elections. Prime Minister Djuro Macut announced the call in Belgrade, citing public demands for early parliamentary elections. President Aleksandar Vucic said the vote will be held on either October 18 or 25.

Key Facts

Prime Minister Djuro Macut announced the dissolution call in Belgrade on Monday.
President Aleksandar Vucic said the vote will be held on either October 18 or 25.
Parliamentary elections were not due until December next year.
Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party nominated him on Saturday to run for prime minister.
The constitution requires between 45 and 60 days for campaigning.

Snap Election Call

Serbia's government proposed the dissolution of parliament on Monday, paving the way for early elections. Prime Minister Djuro Macut announced the call in Belgrade, saying, "If we want to mitigate tensions in society there is no better way than to ask people." Macut told ministers that Serbia has faced protests, blockades, deep divisions, problems in education and heavy pressure on institutions. He added that parts of the public have been calling for early parliamentary elections and that a responsible government never ignores such demands.

Election Timing

President Aleksandar Vucic announced plans on Monday to hold a vote in late October, with speculation rife that he will seek to move into the role of prime minister. Vucic said the vote will be held on either October 18 or 25. According to the constitution, between 45 and 60 days must be allowed for campaigning. Parliamentary elections were not due until December next year.

Political Context

The early election will test how secure a grip on Serbian politics Vucic still enjoys after 12 years as president or prime minister. Massive and persistent anticorruption demonstrations followed the killing of 16 people when a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station in 2024. The student-led protest movement has long demanded early elections. The opposition and demonstrators accuse Vucic and his allies of violence against political opponents, rampant corruption, ties with organised crime and stifling media freedoms. Vucic's opponents have condemned the fact that Serbia's bid to join the European Union has stalled, while the president has instead worked on maintaining close ties with Russia and China.