Serbia’s President Vucic steps down as head of ruling party

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stepped down as leader of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) at a party congress on Saturday.

Vucic admitted that a new approach was needed to unite the country, but said he would remain head of state.

The move came a day after tens of thousands of people from across Serbia and from neighbouring Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia rallied in the centre of Belgrade in a show of support for Vucic following big anti-government protests over two mass shootings that killed 18 people earlier this month.

Another anti-government protest is scheduled for later on Saturday.

Leaders of the SNS accepted Vucic’s resignation offer at the party congress in Kragujevac, central Serbia, and appointed defence minister Milos Vucevic to replace him, as Vucic had proposed.

Vucic told the congress he believes “a slightly different approach is needed to unite a greater number of those who want to fight for the victory of patriotic Serbia. A successful Serbia that will focus on its citizens, for a country that will not look for reasons for division, but for unification and togetherness.”

Opposition parties and rights watchdogs have long accused Vucic and the SNS of autocracy, stifling media freedoms, violence against political opponents, corruption and ties with organised crime.

Vucic and his allies deny the accusations.