Breaking
RURussian air defense shot down 254 Ukrainian drones overnight on September 28JPTwo Chileans arrested again for stealing a watch store on Nakano Broadway; also suspected of stealing from a private house in Ota WardRUThe FSB opened a criminal case against RDS leader Ksenia MaksimovaFREmmanuel Macron will attend the mass and departure ceremony of Pope Leo XIV in MetzRURussian citizen Ksenia Maksimova put on the federal and international wanted listITRussian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv wound 16 people, including eight childrenGLOBALFive men arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after incident at RAF FairfordTRPuddles and Damages due to Heavy Rain in IstanbulRUGreece beat Germany 1-0 in UEFA Nations League matchDEKitchen fire in Nidderau: residents injured, property damage up to 100,000 eurosRURussian air defense shot down 254 Ukrainian drones overnight on September 28JPTwo Chileans arrested again for stealing a watch store on Nakano Broadway; also suspected of stealing from a private house in Ota WardRUThe FSB opened a criminal case against RDS leader Ksenia MaksimovaFREmmanuel Macron will attend the mass and departure ceremony of Pope Leo XIV in MetzRURussian citizen Ksenia Maksimova put on the federal and international wanted listITRussian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv wound 16 people, including eight childrenGLOBALFive men arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after incident at RAF FairfordTRPuddles and Damages due to Heavy Rain in IstanbulRUGreece beat Germany 1-0 in UEFA Nations League matchDEKitchen fire in Nidderau: residents injured, property damage up to 100,000 euros
BackSerbian President Aleksandar Vucic Resigns to Pursue Prime Minister Role
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic Resigns to Pursue Prime Minister Role
Developing
SCMP Economy1 hour agoPolitics1 min readChina

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic Resigns to Pursue Prime Minister Role

Quick Look

  • Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigned on Sunday to transition to prime minister and maintain influence, with parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabic assuming the presidency interim.
  • Serbia will hold presidential elections by year-end and a snap parliamentary election on October 25 to address nearly two years of anti-government protests.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

Aleksandar Vucic has faced nearly two years of anti-government protests in Serbia, which have grown from a nuisance to a significant challenge to his rule.

Font size

Embattled Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigned on Sunday in a well-telegraphed move as he seeks to transition to the role of prime minister as a way of staying close to power in the Balkan nation.

Parliamentary Speaker Ana Brnabic, his ally, will take over the presidential role for an interim period. Serbia will hold presidential elections by the end of the year, Vucic said on public television.

Meanwhile, Serbs head to a snap election on October 25 that seeks to resolve almost two years of anti-government protests that have evolved from an irritant to a threat for Vucic.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

  • Aleksandar Vucic will win the prime ministerial position after the snap election.

    Likely · Within months

  • Serbia will hold presidential elections by the end of the year as announced.

    Very likely · Within months

Open Questions

  • Will Vucic successfully transition to prime minister and maintain political control?
  • How will the opposition respond to the snap election on October 25?
  • What are the implications of Ana Brnabic's interim presidency for democratic norms in Serbia?

Related Topics

This article was originally published by SCMP Economy.

Related Stories

KMT Taichung City Council candidate Wu Zongxue's campaign headquarters was established, with endorsements from Lu Xiuyan, Jiang Qichen and others
Developing·

KMT Taichung City Council candidate Wu Zongxue's campaign headquarters was established, with endorsements from Lu Xiuyan, Jiang Qichen and others

Kuomintang Taichung City Council candidate Wu Zongxue held a campaign headquarters inauguration meeting today. Mayor Lu Xiuyan, Legislative Yuan Vice President Jiang Qichen and legislators Huang Jianhao and Yang Qiongying attended the platform. Incumbent councilor Chen Chengtian put a ribbon on Wu Zongxue and his wife to symbolize the succession, and said that Wu Zongxue has the spirit of serving the grassroots. Jiang Qichen praised him for his strong ambition, while Lu Xiuyan recommended Wu Zongxue to be service-oriented and diligent, saying that he not only has the spirit of "sending gas" but also the spirit of "catching ants".

自由时报
2 min read
President Lai Qingde requested the Legislative Yuan to support an additional budget of 60 billion yuan to promote the development of the drone industry
Developing·

President Lai Qingde requested the Legislative Yuan to support an additional budget of 60 billion yuan to promote the development of the drone industry

At the groundbreaking ceremony of the Minxiong Aerospace and UAV Industrial Park in Chiayi County, President Lai Ching-te called on the Legislative Yuan to support the nearly NT$60 billion additional budget proposed by the Ministry of National Defense to procure domestically produced UAVs to promote independent industrial development. He also emphasized the need to upgrade Taiwan from a component supplier to a complete system solution provider through stabilizing demand, supporting research and development, expanding mass production, and obtaining international certification. At the same time, Taiwan will deepen cooperation with democratic partners to build a secure and resilient supply chain to provide support for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

自由时报
2 min read
You Xikun recalls the 40 years since the founding of the Democratic Progressive Party: consolidating democracy and defending sovereignty is a common mission
Politics·

You Xikun recalls the 40 years since the founding of the Democratic Progressive Party: consolidating democracy and defending sovereignty is a common mission

Former Legislative Director of the Democratic Progressive Party You Xikun wrote a review on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the party. He pointed out that in 1986, non-party members announced the formation of the party at the Grand Hotel to promote democratic reforms, calling on the country to cherish hard-won democratic freedoms and shoulder the mission of consolidating democracy and defending sovereignty.

自由时报
2 min read
KMT Chiayi County and City Chairman Cai Mingming suddenly fainted and fell during the inaugural meeting of the General Assembly and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment
BREAKING·

KMT Chiayi County and City Chairman Cai Mingming suddenly fainted and fell during the inaugural meeting of the General Assembly and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment

Cai Mingming, the Chiayi County and City Chairman of the Kuomintang, suddenly fainted at the inauguration meeting of the People’s Party Chiayi mayoral candidate Zhang Qikai’s campaign headquarters. He fell from the stage and fell down the stairs and injured his face. He was rushed to Chiayi Christian Hospital for treatment. Zhang Qikai, Huang Minhui and others expressed concern and regret, saying that Tsai is obviously conscious and has been working hard for the election for a long time, which may be due to excessive fatigue.

自由时报
2 min read
Zeng Shengkai talks about "treating Zhubei well": public investment creates social investment returns and continues the details of Zheng Chaofang's governance
Developing·

Zeng Shengkai talks about "treating Zhubei well": public investment creates social investment returns and continues the details of Zheng Chaofang's governance

Zeng Shengkai, candidate for Zhubei mayor of the Democratic Progressive Party, said that he will continue the current mayor Zheng Chaofang's concept of "treating Zhubei well", create urban memory and social value through public investment, let activities drive local consumption and small business opportunities, and care for disadvantaged groups, so that the results of urban development can be returned to the lives of citizens.

自由时报
2 min read
More on this topicserbia