Aleksandar Vucic: The man who remade Serbia - BBC News

Aleksandar Vucic has dominated Serbian politics but rivals see elections as a first step in removing him.

1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Aleksandar Vucic has consolidated his rule by eroding democratic institutions, opposition activists claimBy Ido Vock in London & Jovana Georgievski in BelgradeBBC NewsAleksandar Vucic has dominated Serbian politics for the past decade, first as prime minister and later as president.

To supporters he is a pragmatic leader who overcame Serbia's deep divides and presided over sustained economic growth. Critics complain he consolidated power in his own hands and undermined democratic norms.

He is now more than a year into the second and final five-year presidential term he is allowed to serve.

Last month he called early parliamentary and local elections for next Sunday, amid mass protests at home and international demands to resolve Serbia's longstanding conflict with Kosovo.

The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) he led for more than 10 years until this year looks set to be returned to power.