Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić resigned from office on Sunday, seven months before the end of his term, paving the way for an early presidential election in the country.
The resignation comes as Serbia is campaigning for early parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25. If the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which Vučić leads, succeeds in forming a new government, he could be appointed prime minister.
Minutes before his resignation, hundreds of Vučić’s supporters gathered outside the Presidential Palace in central Belgrade.
“This is my last evening in this building,” Vučić told his supporters, who were carrying flags.
“I have served you and my homeland, Serbia, faithfully… I am proud of what we have accomplished together,” he said.
Under the Constitution of Serbia, outgoing Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabić will serve as acting president until a new president is elected.
The presidential election must be completed within 90 days, while the election campaign must last between 30 and 60 days.
Vučić said the first round of the presidential election is expected to be held by the end of December. He had previously announced during the summer that he would step down as president.
Meanwhile, the October 25 parliamentary elections will see the SNS and its allies face the “Students Win” movement, which emerged around anti-corruption demands, as well as the opposition coalition “European Serbia,” made up of pro-Western parties.
The “Students Win” movement, “European Serbia,” and other parties have yet to determine their candidates for president.
