Serbian President Vucic says he will resign within weeks amid student-led protests

Key Points:

• Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced he will resign within weeks, triggering early presidential and parliamentary elections amid 18 months of anti-government protests sparked by a deadly railway station collapse in Novi Sad.
• Vucic, in power for 12 years, plans to support his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the upcoming elections under the proposed name "United Serbia," but did not specify exact dates for his resignation or parliament dissolution.
• Analysts suggest Vucic aims to maintain influence by potentially becoming prime minister again and placing an ally in the presidency, indicating his resignation is a strategic move rather than a political exit.
• The protests, the largest since the 2000 overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic, have been driven by allegations of government corruption and mismanagement, with student-led movements and opposition groups seeking to challenge Vucic and the SNS.
• Serbia faces pressure to reform for EU accession, including tackling corruption and aligning foreign policy, while Vucic balances relations with Russia and China; he pledged to combat corruption and improve social services amid opposition accusations of authoritarianism and media suppression.