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Thousands of supporters attended the launch of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's campaign for prime minister in Belgrade ahead of an October 25 parliamentary election. Vucic resigned as president after being constitutionally barred from seeking a third term and is expected to become prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party wins a majority. The election could be tightly contested by the student-led Student List, which has grown from anti-government protests into a nationwide political movement.
BELGRADE, Serbia — Thousands of supporters of Serbia's populist leader, Aleksandar Vucic, packed the largest indoor arena in Belgrade on Saturday for the de facto launch of his campaign for prime minister that will culminate in a pivotal election set for Oct. 25.
The early 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 after VucicVucic, who is constitutionally prohibited from running for a third term as president, declared upon resigning that he would lead his populist Serbian Progressive Party in the parliamentary election. If his party wins a majority of seats, the parliament is expected to elect Vucic as prime minister.
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 that's been shaken after almost two years of sustained anti-government protests.
The movement's struggle 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 after 14 years in power. The Student List includes university professors, teachers, experts and others from across the political spectrum. Yet Vucic has accused those behind the movement of seeking to"bring Serbia to a halt," and claimed, without providing evidence, that it's backed by unspecified foreign agents.
On Saturday, Vucic told his supporters:"Absent an intervention of some service, we will defeat them. And they know that.
" The election is taking place amid heightened political tensions in Serbia, with reports of incidents and physical altercations at campaign events. International observers have described previous elections in Serbia as marred by multiple irregularities and violence. European institutions have warned of democratic backsliding in Serbia in successive reports tracking the progress of candidate countries.
Rights and media freedom groups have separately warned ofSerbia's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a rally for the de-facto launch of his campaign for prime minister that will culminate in a pivotal election set for Oct. 25 in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. - The Associated Press Supporters of Serbia's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic cheer during rally for the de-facto launch of his campaign for prime minister that will culminate in a pivotal election set for Oct. 25 in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. - The Associated Press
Aleksandar Vucic Serbia Parliamentary Election Student List Political Campaign
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