Serbian President Vucic vows to stay in Serbia even if his party loses election

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he will not leave Serbia even if the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is defeated in the upcoming early parliamentary vote. He added that he could resign the presidency and run for the prime‑ministerial post.

Vucic outlined possible dates for a presidential election: if the parliamentary poll is held in October, the presidential vote would likely occur in late December 2026 or early January 2027; if it is held in November, the presidential election would be scheduled for January or early February 2027.

The statements came amid ongoing student‑led protests triggered by the 2024 Novi Sad railway‑station collapse that killed 16 people. The student movement is preparing its own electoral list, while Vucic noted that the SNS list will include more young candidates and that he himself will appear on it, regardless of placement. He criticized opposition parties but said he would congratulate any winner, adding he would mock the new government “from prison, from the grave.”

Vucic also accused Europe and the United States of backing his opponents and referenced an anti‑corruption portal that has received about 10,000 complaints, of which roughly 3,500 have been addressed.