Aleksandar Vučić launches campaign for prime minister / Thousands of supporters fill Belgrade Arena

Thousands of supporters of populist leader Aleksandar Vučić filled Belgrade Arena on Saturday, in an event considered the de facto launch of his campaign for the position of prime minister. Serbia’s early parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 25, amid political tensions and antigovernment protests.

The vote was called before Vučić resigns from the office of president on September 27, more than seven months before the end of his second term. The Constitution bars him from running for a third presidential term, so he will lead the Serbian Progressive Party in the parliamentary elections. If the party wins a majority, parliament is expected to elect him prime minister.

Dozens of buses brought supporters from across the country to the rally, which was broadcast by numerous television stations. The event concluded a week of Vučić’s travels throughout Serbia, in an attempt to consolidate his popularity, which has been affected by nearly two years of protests.

The student-led movement is calling for accountability for the collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad in November 2024, a tragedy that left 16 people dead. The elections are taking place in a tense climate marked by incidents, violence, and allegations of irregularities in previous elections.