Vucic Announces Resignation: What Serbian Law Says Next
The president says he has just a few weeks left in office before stepping down. The constitution sets out precisely who takes over and how soon elections must be called.
- Vucic said he is head of state for a few more weeks before he resigns.
- Under the constitution, the Speaker of the National Assembly takes over temporarily, for up to three months.
- A resignation forces a presidential election, separate from the announced snap parliamentary vote.
- Vucic's regular term expires in 2027.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said he will remain head of state for “a few more weeks” and will then resign. The announcement opens a question that is not settled by political will but by constitutional procedure: who takes over, how soon a new president is elected, and how that timeline overlaps with the snap parliamentary vote already under discussion.
These are two separate mechanisms triggered by different events. A parliamentary election follows the dissolution of the National Assembly, while a presidential election is tied to the end of the head of state’s mandate. Resignation is one of the ways that mandate can end before the regular term, which runs until 2027, expires.
Who takes over and how soon is a vote held?
The constitution states that when the president submits a resignation to the National Assembly, the mandate ends on the day the document is received. Presidential duties are then temporarily assumed by the Speaker of the National Assembly, for a period of no more than three months. During that interim, the acting president represents the state at home and abroad, receives the credentials of diplomatic envoys, calls elections, and commands the Serbian Armed Forces.
A presidential resignation obliges the calling of a presidential election within the period set by law. That cycle runs independently of any snap parliamentary vote, although in practice the dates can be aligned to cut costs and lift turnout. For the parliamentary track the law is precise: at least 45 and at most 60 days must pass between the day an election is called and the day of voting. That window frames when parties enter the campaign and when the vote is organized.
The practical consequence is that announcing a resignation does not mean an immediate change of power. It starts a calendar with clearly defined deadlines. The acting presidency is not a political vacuum, because it retains a substantial share of presidential powers, including proposing a candidate for prime minister.
Why a resignation may not end a political career?
Some analysts argue that stepping down as president would not end Vucic’s grip on the executive. One scenario floated is a bid to become prime minister, which would shift the center of gravity from the presidency to the government while keeping the same figure at the heart of decision-making. In that case the presidency takes on a different weight, and real power moves to the cabinet.
Opposition parties say they will insist that any election be held under what they consider fair conditions, with a focus on the state of the voter rolls and campaign terms. The governing side says every step will follow the constitution and election laws. The balance of those messages shows how the same procedure is read through opposing political interests, which is to be expected ahead of any election cycle.
The question of timing remains open. If the presidential and parliamentary votes are merged, the campaign carries a double stake and turns into a referendum on the whole government. If they are held separately, voters go to the polls twice in quick succession. Which of the two scenarios, in your view, would serve citizens better?
