In a historic political transition for the Balkan region, former Prime Minister and Parliamentary Speaker Ana Brnabić officially assumed the role of acting President of Serbia on September 28. Her temporary elevation to the presidency makes her the first openly lesbian person to serve as head of state in Serbia and across the entire Balkan region.
The handover followed the resignation of outgoing President Aleksandar Vučić on September 27, who stepped down roughly seven months short of completing his second term. Under the Serbian Constitution, when a president resigns early, the Speaker of the National Assembly temporarily assumes the duties of head of state. Vučić handed over executive authority, presidential archives, and official insignia during a formal ceremony at the presidential residence in central Belgrade.
During the official transfer ceremony, Vučić handed over administrative records and symbolic presidential items, stating:
“Here are the financial reports, the report on the work of the presidential administration, on legal disputes, pardon decisions, lists of works of art, gifts, and other curiosities that I, Tomislav Nikolić, and Boris Tadić have received.”
He then presented Brnabić with a red box containing the head-of-state emblem, adding:
“And here’s the most important thing: the seal of the President of the Republic.”
Brnabić, who spent years advancing administrative and governance reforms prior to her political appointments, accepted the symbol with a lighthearted remark, noting:
“I spent my whole professional life fighting against the seal, and now I have received the most important one.”
The moment carries significant milestone status in Serbian history. Brnabić is now the first individual in the country’s political history to hold all three of Serbia’s highest public offices: prime minister, speaker of parliament, and acting president. She previously served as Serbia’s prime minister from 2017 to 2024—the first woman and openly LGBTQ+ person to hold the role—before being elected Speaker of the National Assembly in March 2024. Furthermore, she becomes the third woman to serve as Serbia’s acting president, following Nataša Mičić in the early 2000s and Slavica Đukić Dejanović in 2012.
Vučić’s resignation comes ahead of snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25, 2026. Limited by constitutional term limits that prevent a third consecutive presidential run, Vučić’s maneuver allows him to lead his party’s ticket in hopes of returning to executive government as prime minister. Under Serbian law, Brnabić’s interim presidential tenure will last no longer than three months, with new presidential elections required to be called by late December 2026.
