Serbian government sets up snap vote with call to dissolve parliament

What the report says

Serbia’s government has moved to dissolve parliament, opening the way for an early national election. According to Al Jazeera, Prime Minister Djuro Macut announced the proposal in Belgrade on Monday, and President Aleksandar Vucic said the vote could be held in late October, earlier than the next scheduled parliamentary election due in December next year.

The reported plan is being read as a way for Vucic to consolidate his position after months of unrest. Al Jazeera said the president has been under sustained pressure from mass anti-government protests, led in part by students, following the collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station in 2024 that killed 16 people. Protesters have called for early elections and have accused Vucic and his allies of corruption, violence against opponents and curbs on media freedom; those allegations have been denied by the president and his circle.

Macut said an early vote could help ease tensions in society, citing divisions, blockades and pressure on institutions. Vucic has led Serbia as president or prime minister for 12 years, and there has been speculation that he may seek a shift to the prime minister’s office. The snap election would also come as Serbia’s EU accession process remains stalled and as the country continues to balance ties with Russia and China.