Serbian populist leader Vucic launches campaign for prime minister

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is seeking to extend his hold on power through a parliamentary vote.

Serbia's former President Aleksandar Vucic gestures during a rally of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) ahead of the parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, on October 3, 2026. [Zorana Jevtic/Reuters]

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has launched his campaign for prime minister ahead of a pivotal election on October 25.

Thousands of supporters of the populist politician packed the largest indoor arena in Belgrade on Saturday, as Vucic pledged a “comprehensive” victory in the upcoming parliamentary vote.

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The snap election, which polls suggest could be tight between Vucic’s party and a group of candidates fielded by a student-led protest movement, was called before Vucic resigned as president on September 27, cutting short his second term by more than seven months.

Dozens of buses from across Serbia clogged streets around Belgrade Arena on Saturday, as supporters arrived at the rally in the capital carrying Serbian flags and banners bearing Vucic’s picture.

The event, televised by dozens of channels across Serbia, capped a week of Vucic touring towns and villages in an apparent bid to shore up his popularity, which has been shaken after almost two years of sustained antigovernment protests.

Vucic, on the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) ballot, has dominated Serbian politics as president or prime minister since 2014. Barred from seeking a third presidential term, he is now seeking to extend his hold on power through the parliamentary vote.

If the SNS wins a majority of seats, the parliament is expected to elect Vucic as prime minister.

The youth-backed movement that led the protests has demanded accountability for the November 1, 2024, train station canopy collapse that killed 16 people in the northern city of Novi Sad.

The movement’s quest for justice over the tragedy and against corruption has grown into a nationwide political force whose electoral arm, the Student List, will attempt to oust Vucic’s government.

The Student List includes university professors, teachers, experts and others from across the political spectrum. Vucic accused those behind the movement of seeking to “bring Serbia to a halt” and claimed, without providing evidence, that it is backed by unspecified foreign agents.

On Saturday, Vucic told his supporters: “Absent an intervention of some [foreign intelligence] service, we will defeat them. And they know that.”

Serbia’s former President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a rally of the governing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) ahead of the parliamentary election, in Belgrade, Serbia, on October 3, 2026 [Zorana Jevtic/Reuters]

塞尔维亚前总统亚历山大·武契奇正寻求通过议会投票延长其执政地位。

2026年10月3日，塞尔维亚前总统亚历山大·武契奇在塞尔维亚贝尔格莱德举行的塞尔维亚进步党（SNS）议会选举集会上发表讲话。[Zorana Jevtic/路透社]

塞尔维亚前总统亚历山大·武契奇已正式启动总理竞选活动，此次关键选举将于10月25日举行。

周六，数千名民粹主义政治家的支持者挤满了贝尔格莱德最大的室内体育馆，武契奇承诺将在即将到来的议会选举中取得“全面”胜利。

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塞尔维亚总统亚历山大·武契奇在持续抗议中辞职（共3条，此为第2条）

塞尔维亚提前举行大选：武契奇能否战胜学生运动？（共 3 项，此为第 3 项）

民调显示，武契奇所在的政党与学生领导的抗议运动推出的一组候选人之间的竞争可能非常激烈。此次提前选举是在武契奇于9月27日辞去总统职务之前宣布的，他的第二个任期因此提前了七个多月结束。

周六，来自塞尔维亚各地的数十辆巴士挤满了贝尔格莱德体育场周围的街道，支持者们挥舞着塞尔维亚国旗和印有武契奇照片的横幅来到首都参加集会。

此次活动由塞尔维亚数十个电视台转播，标志着武契奇为期一周的城镇乡村巡视画上了句号。此举显然是为了巩固其支持率，此前近两年的持续反政府抗议活动动摇了他的支持率。

武契奇代表塞尔维亚进步党（SNS）参选，自 2014 年以来一直担任塞尔维亚总统或总理，主导着塞尔维亚政坛。由于无法寻求第三个总统任期，他现在正寻求通过议会选举来巩固其权力。

如果塞尔维亚进步党赢得多数席位，预计议会将选举武契奇为总理。

领导抗议活动的青年运动要求追究 2024 年 11 月 1 日发生在北部城市诺维萨德的火车站顶棚坍塌事故的责任，该事故造成 16 人死亡。

该运动为这场悲剧寻求正义并反对腐败，已经发展成为一股全国性的政治力量，其选举机构“学生名单”将试图推翻武契奇政府。

学生名单包括大学教授、教师、专家以及来自不同政治派别的人士。武契奇指责该运动的幕后推手企图“让塞尔维亚陷入瘫痪”，并声称（但未提供证据）该运动受到不明外国势力的支持。

周六，武契奇告诉他的支持者：“除非有外国情报机构干预，否则我们将击败他们。他们也知道这一点。”

2026年10月3日，塞尔维亚前总统亚历山大·武契奇在塞尔维亚贝尔格莱德举行的执政党塞尔维亚进步党（SNS）议会选举集会上发表讲话。[Zorana Jevtic/路透社]