Brnabić Assumes Acting Presidency as Vučić Resigns to Chase PM Role
Ana Brnabić has become the acting President of Serbia following the resignation of Aleksandar Vučić, who stepped down after nine years to campaign for the Prime Minister position in the October 25 parliamentary elections. Brnabić, currently the Speaker of Parliament and a close ally of Vučić, will hold the largely ceremonial presidential duties until an early presidential election is held by year's end. This transition marks the first time a person has held all three highest state offices in Serbian history, though Brnabić serves only in an acting capacity. Vučić justified his move by claiming he wished to compete as an ordinary citizen rather than leveraging presidential power, a stance contradicted by an OSCE report on the 2023 elections. In his final act, Vučić issued dozens of pardons, including for opposition activists linked to the STAV group, who have rejected the clemency and demand accountability for the repression of the 2024-2025 protests.
