Serbia’s president sets Dec. 17 for snap parliamentary election as he rallies for his populist party

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has set Dec. 17 as the date for early parliamentary election, which will be the third vote in the Balkan country in nearly four years. Local elections will also be held on the same day in several municipalities, including Belgrade, the capital. The election date came as no surprise as the populist Serbian leader had been campaigning in favor of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party for weeks, although he has formally stepped down from its helm. Vucic’s presidency is not being contested in the vote after he won re-election by a landslide in general elections in April 2022.