Aleksandar Vučić (born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as President of Serbia since 2017. A founding member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as President of the SNS from 2012 to 2023, First Deputy Prime Minister from 2012 to 2014, and Prime Minister of Serbia from 2014 to 2017.
Born in Belgrade, Vučić graduated as a lawyer from the Faculty of Law of University of Belgrade. Vučić began his political career in 1993, as a member of the far-right Serbian Radical Party (SRS) in the National Assembly of Serbia. In 1995, he became the secretary-general of SRS. He was appointed minister of information in 1998 in the government of Mirko Marjanović. During his tenure as minister, which lasted until the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, Vučić introduced restrictive measures against journalists and banned foreign TV networks. After 2000, he was one of the most prominent figures in the Serbian opposition. Together with Tomislav Nikolić, Vučić left SRS and co-founded SNS in 2008, initially serving as its deputy president. SNS became the largest party in the 2012 election and SNS soon formed a government with the Socialist Party of Serbia. Vučić was appointed first deputy prime minister and elected president of SNS.
Despite not being prime minister, Vučić held the most influence and power due to being the leader of the largest party in the government. He was one of the crucial figures in cooperation and European Union (EU)-mediated dialogue between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia, advocating the implementation of the Brussels Agreement on the normalization of their relations. Vučić became prime minister in 2014, leading to the establishment of a dominant-party system. He continued the accession process to the EU by privatizing state businesses and liberalizing the economy. EU opened first chapters during the accession conference with the Serbian delegation led by Vučić in 2015. In 2017, Vučić was elected president of Serbia. He was re-elected in 2022.
During his tenure as president, Vučić initiated Open Balkan, an economic zone of Balkan countries intended to guarantee "four freedoms", and signed an agreement in September 2020 to normalize economic relations with Kosovo. A populist politician, Vučić supports the accession of Serbia to the EU and also wants to retain good relations with Russia and China. Critics have described Vučić's rule as an authoritarian, autocratic or illiberal democratic regime, citing curtailed press freedom and a decline in civil liberties. Supporters of Vučić's administration highlight economic growth and the pursuit of pragmatic and balanced policies.
Vučić was born on 5 March 1970 in Belgrade to Anđelko Vučić and Angelina Milovanov. He has a younger brother, Andrej.
His paternal ancestors came from Čipuljić, near Bugojno, in Central Bosnia. They were expelled by the Croatian fascists (Ustaše) during World War II and settled near Belgrade, where his father was born. According to Vučić, his paternal grandfather Anđelko and tens of other close relatives were killed by the Ustaše. His mother was born in Bečej in Vojvodina. Both of his parents were economics graduates. His father worked as an economist, and his mother as a journalist.
Vučić was raised in the Blokovi neighborhood of New Belgrade, where he attended the Branko Radičević Elementary School, and later a gymnasium in Zemun. He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 1994.
He learned English in Brighton, England, and worked as a merchant in London for more than a year. After returning to Yugoslavia, he worked as a journalist in Pale, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, he interviewed politician Radovan Karadžić and once played chess with general Ratko Mladić. As a youngster, Vučić was a fan of Red Star Belgrade, often attending their matches, including the one played between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star on 13 May 1990, which turned into a huge riot. The homes of his relatives were destroyed in the Bosnian War.
Vučić joined the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) in 1993, a far-right party whose core ideology is based on Serbian nationalism and the goal of creating a Greater Serbia, and was elected to the National Assembly following the 1993 parliamentary election. During the Bosnian War, Vučić visited Army of Republika Srpska positions during the siege of Sarajevo. Photographs and video footage from the period have been the subject of controversy, including recordings from the Pale area showing him carrying what critics identify as a rifle; Vučić has disputed these interpretations, at one point claiming the object was an umbrella and later a camera tripod, or that the photos and videos have been AI manipulated. Since 2025, he has also faced allegations linking him to the Sarajevo Safari, involving claims that foreign visitors paid to shoot at civilians during the siege. Vučić has denied any involvement.
After his party won the local elections in Zemun in 1996, he became the director of Pinki Hall, which was his first employment.
Minister of Information (1998–2000)
In March 1998, Vučić was appointed Minister of Information in the government of Mirko Marjanović. Scholars described Vučić as the crucial figure in the shaping of turn-of-the century media policies in Serbia. Following rising resentment against Milošević, Vučić introduced fines for journalists who criticized the government and banned foreign TV networks. He recalled in 2014 that he was wrong and had changed, stating "I was not ashamed to confess all my political mistakes".
During this period, Serbian media was accused for broadcasting Serbian nationalist propaganda, which demonized ethnic minorities and legitimized Serb atrocities against them. In 1998, the government adopted Europe's most restrictive media law by the end of the 20th century, which created a special misdemeanor court to try violations. It had the ability to impose heavy fines and to confiscate property if they were not immediately paid. Serbian media were under severe repression of the state, and that foreign media had been seen as "foreign elements" and "spies". Human Rights Watch reported that five independent newspaper editors were charged with disseminating misinformation because they referred to Albanians who had died in Kosovo as "people" rather than "terrorists". The government crackdown on independent media intensified when NATO forces were threatening intervention in Kosovo in late September and early October 1998. The government also maintained direct control of state radio and television, which provided news for the majority of the population. After the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia began in March 1999, Vučić called for a meeting of all Belgrade's editors. Print media were ordered to submit all copies to the Ministry for approval and they were allowed to publish only official statements and information taken from media outlets, which either are controlled by the state or practice radical self-censorship. Vučić also ordered all NATO countries journalists to leave the country.
Radical Party to Progressive Party
Tomislav Nikolić, deputy leader of the Radical Party and de facto interim leader due to absence of Vojislav Šešelj, resigned on 6 September 2008 because of disagreement with Šešelj over the party's support for Serbia's EU membership. With some other well-known Radical Party members he formed a new parliamentary club called "Napred Srbijo!" (Forward Serbia!). On 12 September 2008, Nikolić and his group were officially ejected from the Radical Party on the session of SRS leadership. Vučić, as secretary-general was called to attend this session, but he did not appear. Tomislav Nikolić announced he would form his own party and called Vučić to join. Vučić, one of the most popular figures among SRS supporters, resigned from Radical Party on 14 September 2008. The next day, Vučić announced his temporary withdrawal from politics.
On 6 October 2008, Vučić confirmed in a TV interview that he was to join the newly formed Nikolić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and that he would be the Deputy President of the party. He then seemed to change his positions. In 2010 he made statements such as a "horrible crime was committed in Srebrenica", saying he felt "ashamed" of the Serbs who did it. "I do not hide that I have changed... I am proud of that." he told AFP in an interview in 2012. "I was wrong, I thought I was doing the best for my country, but I saw the results and we failed, We need to admit that."