The Serbian Parliament officially accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vučević, initiating the legal process to form a new government. Leader of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and ally of President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Milos Vučević, resigned on January 28 amid protests following an accident at a train station in Novi Sad last November that claimed the lives of 15 people. During today’s session of the Serbian parliament, Vučević’s resignation was officially accepted, commencing a 30-day legal process to determine a new prime minister. The parliament session, with Vučević’s resignation as its final agenda item, witnessed violent incidents due to opposition lawmakers supporting government protests and student demonstrations. VUCIC’S TIME LIMITAccording to the constitution, President Vučić has 30 days to propose a new prime minister candidate who will lead the country until the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2027. If Vučić fails to select a new prime minister candidate within this timeframe, early elections will need to be held within 45 to 60 days. Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić stated, “The deadline for the new government is midnight on April 18.” WHAT DO POLLS SAY?Amid ongoing protests in Serbia, the resentment against the ruling SNS is growing increasingly. According to a survey conducted by IPSOS Strategic Marketing in December, the SNS had a voter support of 48.3%, but the public backlash against the government has significantly escalated since then. Opposition parties reject the possibility of early elections and demand the formation of a temporary government without the SNS. However, Vučić has repeatedly dismissed this option. Furthermore, last Saturday, one of the largest protests seen in decades was organized in the capital Belgrade, with over 100,000 people demanding the government’s resignation over corruption allegations. WHAT HAPPENED IN NOVI SAD?The accident on November 1, 2024, which claimed 15 lives due to the collapse of an iron tent at the Novi Sad train station, triggered anti-government protests nationwide. The protests that began in Novi Sad spread across all of Serbia, becoming one of the most significant waves of demonstrations that have shaken the power of Vučić, who became prime minister in 2014 and president in 2017.