# Vučić Resigns as Serbia’s President and Is Expected to Run for Prime Minister in October Vote

*Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 10:07 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-27T22:07:38.214Z (1h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Eastern Europe
**Importance**: 7/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/19003.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has stepped down before his term ends and is expected to stand as a candidate for prime minister in parliamentary elections on 25 October. The move keeps him at the centre of power and raises fresh questions about term limits, opposition prospects and Serbia’s direction between Russia and the European Union.

Aleksandar Vučić has resigned as Serbia’s president and is expected to try to stay in charge of the country from a different office. He plans to run in the 25 October parliamentary elections as a candidate for prime minister, according to reports from Serbia.

The resignation comes before the end of his presidential term and clears the way for snap elections. By shifting his focus to the prime minister’s post, Vučić is positioning himself to remain the dominant figure in Serbian politics if his party and its allies win enough seats to form a government.

At home, supporters portray the change as a formal adjustment that reflects where power already sits. As president, Vučić has been widely seen as the key decision‑maker in Serbian politics, with strong influence over the ruling party, parliament and key ministries. Taking the role of prime minister would put him in charge of the government in a more direct way.

Critics argue that the move helps him work around limits on how long one person should occupy the presidency. Opposition groups have long accused Vučić of concentrating power, weakening independent institutions and blurring the line between state resources and party interests. Moving from the presidency into the premiership without a break fuels those concerns.

For ordinary Serbs, the immediate question is whether the change will alter how the country is governed. People who have protested over election practices and governance in recent years are sceptical that switching titles will bring more accountable institutions or better public services if Vučić remains in overall control.

The regional and international stakes centre on Kosovo and Serbia’s balancing act between Moscow and Brussels. Serbia is under pressure to normalise relations with Kosovo through talks backed by the European Union and the United States. As prime minister, Vučić would have a central role in implementing, stalling or reshaping any deals that emerge from those negotiations.

Serbia has also resisted joining Western sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine while still presenting itself as a country that wants closer ties with the European Union. Vučić has used this position to keep leverage with both sides. If he returns to office as prime minister, regional observers expect that balancing strategy to continue, which will test how far EU governments are willing to tolerate Belgrade’s stance on Russia.

Developments to watch include how united or fragmented the opposition appears ahead of the 25 October vote, the conditions under which the elections are conducted and how international observers assess the process. The make‑up of the next cabinet, and especially who takes charge of foreign affairs, defence and internal security, will indicate whether Serbia is entering a new phase or deepening the current pattern of centralised control under Vučić in a different role.