Vulin announces candidacy for president of Serbia – “Serbian World” and Russia at the center of the platform

Aleksandar Vulin has announced his candidacy for president of Serbia, placing the concept of the "Serbian World" at the center of his political race and calling for an even more open orientation of Belgrade towards Moscow.

The leader of the Socialist Movement made this announcement on October 5, at a rally of his political entity titled "Srpski svet" - "Serbian World" - where he also urged supporters to vote for Aleksandar Vučić's list in the parliamentary elections on October 25.

Vulin has not yet formally announced his candidacy. He said he would run in the presidential elections expected to be held in December if he receives the support of his supporters.

But the way he articulated his presidential ambition clearly shows what platform he intends to enter the race with.

"I want to believe that the next president will be the president of the Serbian World. If you give me your support, I want to run for president of the Republic of Serbia," Vulin declared.

He added that the "Serbian World" should have its own candidate and voice in the presidential elections, linking this concept to a platform that includes opposing European pressure, maintaining relations with Russia, and a referendum on Serbia's membership in the European Union.

Russia as an integral point of the platform

In his speech, Vulin made it clear that one of the main pillars of his foreign policy would be maintaining ties with Moscow.

He stated that Serbia should not impose sanctions on Russia and that it should not impose visas for Russian and Chinese citizens just because of requests from some European countries.

"With all our differences, I know that we will not differ in that we will never impose sanctions on the Russian Federation," Vulin said.

He also called for a referendum on Serbia's European path, arguing that citizens should decide on the country's relationship with the European Union.

Vulin's stance on Russia is not a new turn. In 2024, he declared that Serbia could not survive as a free state unless Russia and China remained free and independent states. During the same period, he also spoke of the "formalization" of the "Serbian World" and the unification of Serbs.

Even in June of this year, Vulin accused NATO and the European Union of aiming to change the government in Serbia and exert pressure on Belgrade to impose sanctions on Russia.

A stance that has long placed him on Moscow's side

Vulin's pro-Russian stance has been one of the most distinctive features of his political profile for years.

In July 2023, the US Treasury Department sanctioned Vulin, accusing him, among other things, of using his positions to support Russian interests and facilitate activities that, according to Washington, strengthened Russia's malign influence in Serbia and the Western Balkans.

Vulin has been Serbia's Minister of Interior and Minister of Defense, and later headed the Security and Information Agency (BIA).

An analysis by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has described him as one of the most outspoken promoters of Russia among senior Serbian officials, also noting his role in promoting the concept of the "Serbian World".

"Serbian World" moves from rhetoric to the presidential race

This concept is precisely the most important part of Vulin's announced candidacy.

At the October 5 rally, he did not present the “Serbian World” simply as an identity or cultural concept, but as a political project that should have its own representation in Serbia's institutions.

"I want the Serbian World to have the right to its own candidate, to its own voice," he said.

Vulin has been one of the main figures who have promoted this concept in Serbian politics. In previous statements, he has spoken of the “unification of the Serbian people” and the need to “formalize” the “Serbian World.”

For this reason, his candidacy can also be seen as an attempt to move the term "Serbian World" from a slogan used in political discourse to a direct electoral platform.

An ISD report has linked the concept promoted by Vulin to models of Russian influence and the concept of the "Russian World", describing it as one of the channels through which pro-Russian narratives have been promoted in the Western Balkans.

Supports Vučić in the parliamentary elections, but seeks votes for himself in the presidential elections

Another element that makes Vulin's positioning special is his relationship with Aleksandar Vučić.

Although Vulin's Socialist Movement is not part of the "Aleksandar Vučić - United Serbia" list, he has asked his supporters to vote for this very list on October 25th.

Vulin justified this by saying that his differences with Vučić are not related to "love for Serbia" and that, on important issues like Russia and sanctions, they will not have differences.

However, in the presidential elections, Vulin is seeking a separate political mandate.

So, his formula is clear: vote for Vučić's list in the parliamentary elections, but support for Vulin in the presidential race.

This puts him in an interesting position within the Serbian political camp – both a supporter of Vučić in the parliamentary battle and a potential candidate for a presidential race with a more pronounced nationalist and pro-Russian profile.

The rally began with the tribute to Ratko Mladic.

Even the symbolism of the rally where Vulin announced his presidential ambition was significant.

According to Serbian media reports, the Socialist Movement rally began with a minute of silence for the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, Ratko Mladic, convicted of war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

After this, the anthems of Serbia and Republika Srpska were played.

This symbolism, combined with rhetoric about the “Serbian World,” Russia, and opposition to European orientation, places Vulin’s candidacy on a clear political line.

A race that could further push the debate over Serbia's direction

The candidacy announced by Vulin comes at a sensitive period for Serbia, which officially continues to declare integration into the European Union as a strategic objective, while maintaining close political, economic and security relations with Russia and refusing to impose sanctions on Moscow.

In this context, Vulin is building a profile that places the clash between European orientation and ties with Russia at the center of the political race.

He is not simply promising a policy closer to Moscow. He is calling for a referendum on Serbia's European path, opposing sanctions against Russia, and positioning the "Serbian World" as a project that, in his opinion, should have direct political representation.

If his candidacy is formalized, the Serbian presidential elections are expected to offer another battle over the country's strategic orientation: between European integration, relations with the West, and strengthening ties with Russia, but also over how Belgrade conceives its role towards Serbs outside Serbia's borders.

The GeoPost