Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić said on July 8 that the country's next parliamentary and presidential elections would be held separately, with parliamentary elections likely to take place first, as his government prepares for a fresh electoral test after a year and a half of anti-government protests.

Vučić told state broadcaster RTS that a decision on when to call the elections would be made in August or September, allowing voting to take place in October or November.

"Most likely first the parliamentary one, then the presidential one," Vučić said.

He said he had opted to separate the elections in response to alleged demands from opposition parties for voters to decide the two contests independently.

The announcement comes after Vučić said he would resign as president and trigger early elections following a prolonged political crisis.

The ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has frequently campaigned on promises of higher pensions, wage increases and one-off cash payments ahead of elections.

Vučić said on July 8 that a previously announced package of measures to support households would be brought forward to mid-September. He said the package would include one-off assistance for pensioners and lower medicine costs.

Last week, Vučić announced more than €600mn in salary increases, pension rises, one-off cash payments and tourism vouchers.

He also said a new online portal, "Ko si bre ti" ("Who do you think you are?"), would begin operating on July 10, allowing citizens to anonymously report allegations of corruption and misconduct by public officials.

Vučić said he would personally review submissions each day, while complaints relating to suspected corruption would be forwarded to prosecutors.

The government is facing its most sustained political challenge since the SNS came to power in 2012.

Student-led protests were triggered by the collapse of a concrete canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024 that killed 16 people. Demonstrators say the disaster exposed widespread corruption and poor oversight of state construction projects, allegations the government denies.

Opinion polls continue to show the SNS as the country's strongest political party, although surveys suggest a student-backed electoral list could emerge as the second-largest political force in the upcoming vote.