Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has dissolved parliament and called a snap election for 25 October, as he seeks to extend his political influence by running for prime minister.
Vučić announced the decision on Wednesday, bringing forward a parliamentary election that had originally been expected next year.
He said the early vote had become necessary because of growing political tensions in the country.
“Were the elections necessary for us if there were no such tensions, if there were no such political conflicts, certainly they would not be necessary,” Vučić said in a televised statement.
He added that delaying the election “would threaten the survival of democracy”.
Vučić has faced sustained anti-corruption demonstrations for almost two years.
The protests began after the collapse of a railway station awning in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people.
The disaster fuelled public anger over alleged corruption and concerns about government accountability.
Vučić has served as either Serbia’s prime minister or president since 2014 and has remained the country’s dominant political figure throughout that period.
His ruling Serbian Progressive Party nominated him on Saturday to stand for prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary election.
It remains unclear whether Vučić will step down as president before or after the election.
While his years in power have coincided with a period of economic development, his government has also faced growing criticism over alleged corruption and authoritarianism.
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