BELGRADE: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has stepped down as the leader of his party, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), after over a decade at the helm. Despite relinquishing his position as party chief, Vucic is expected to remain the most influential political figure in the Balkan country.
Last year, Vucic’s SNS won the parliamentary elections by a wide margin. However, the party has faced ongoing allegations of corruption and has recently come under increased pressure due to mass protests following two shootings.
Nevertheless, Vucic will continue to serve as Serbia’s president, ensuring his continued prominence in the country’s political landscape, much like when he transitioned from prime minister to president in 2017.
During a televised convention, the 53-year-old, who has led the SNS since 2012, expressed his intention to stay involved with the party he helped establish. He assured party members, saying, “Whatever you do, I will always be with you and by your side. I just think a slightly different approach is needed to unite a greater number of forces of those who want to fight for the victory of a patriotic, successful Serbia.”
Vucic has already revealed plans to form a nationwide movement that will include prominent intellectuals, artists, and other public figures. This movement is expected to gradually merge with the SNS.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic Enjoys Greater Popularity
Analysts suggest that Vucic enjoys greater popularity than his party, which frequently faces allegations of corruption. Creating a new coalition could potentially help rebrand the party and avoid poor election results in the future.
Bojan Klacar, the head of the independent election monitor CESID, explained, “It’s a way to overcome a crisis that could potentially brew inside the Serbian Progressive Party. By creating a new movement, he wants to secure himself another mandate in the office.”
Critics of Vucic accuse him of increasingly resorting to autocratic measures to suppress opposition and exert control over media outlets and state institutions.
The ruling party has faced mounting pressure in recent weeks following consecutive shootings, sparking widespread protests against the government, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets.
Milos Vucevic, the former mayor of Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city and the country’s defense minister, has been elected as the new president of the SNS party. Vucevic promptly dismissed the demands of some protesters calling for a transitional government ahead of new elections, stating that the government cannot be formed “off the streets and through violence.”
