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  • Research Article

The Constitutional Status of the President in Serbia’s Parliamentary System

Konstantin Polovchenko1
1MGIMO (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70517/revcc2624153
Published: 13/10/2026
: Konstantin Polovchenko. The Constitutional Status of the President in Serbia’s Parliamentary System. Revista Cultura Científica, 2026 Issue 24. pg. 1833-1841.

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the specific features of the President’s legal position and to assess his role in the system of separation of powers in a post-socialist state. The methodology is based on a combination of formal-legal, comparative-legal, historical, and systemic analysis, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of constitutional provisions and their practical implications. The study demonstrates that, despite the formal classification of Serbia as a parliamentary republic, the President occupies a special constitutional position that goes beyond the traditional functions of a head of state in classical parliamentary systems. It is established that the direct election of the President, the absence of a countersignature requirement, and the presence of significant powers in the legislative, executive, and defense spheres contribute to strengthening his institutional role. At the same time, the implementation of these powers is substantially influenced by political factors, including the alignment of political forces and the relationship between the President and the parliamentary majority. The article concludes that the President of the Republic of Serbia functions as a key element of the system of checks and balances, combining representative and substantive powers, which reflects the hybrid nature of post-socialist constitutional models.

Keywords: President of the Republic of Serbia; separation of powers; parliamentary system; presidential powers; constitutional accountability

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the specific features of the President’s legal position and to assess his role in the system of separation of powers in a post-socialist state. The methodology is based on a combination of formal-legal, comparative-legal, historical, and systemic analysis, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of constitutional provisions and their practical implications. The study demonstrates that, despite the formal classification of Serbia as a parliamentary republic, the President occupies a special constitutional position that goes beyond the traditional functions of a head of state in classical parliamentary systems. It is established that the direct election of the President, the absence of a countersignature requirement, and the presence of significant powers in the legislative, executive, and defense spheres contribute to strengthening his institutional role. At the same time, the implementation of these powers is substantially influenced by political factors, including the alignment of political forces and the relationship between the President and the parliamentary majority. The article concludes that the President of the Republic of Serbia functions as a key element of the system of checks and balances, combining representative and substantive powers, which reflects the hybrid nature of post-socialist constitutional models.

Keywords: President of the Republic of Serbia; separation of powers; parliamentary system; presidential powers; constitutional accountability

References

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  6. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Izbiratel’nye spory kak ob”ekt konstitutsionnogo pravosudiya: na primere Serbii [Electoral Disputes as an Object of Constitutional Justice: The Example of Serbia].” Sotsial’no-politicheskie nauki [Social and Political Sciences], no. 4, 2016, pp. 205–209.

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  11. Republic of Serbia. Ustav Republike Srbije [Constitution of the Republic of Serbia]. Službeni glasnik Republike Srbije [Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia], no. 1/1990, 1990.

  12. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Konstitutsionnyi kontrol’ v Respublike Serbiya [Constitutional Control in the Republic of Serbia].” Konstitutsionnyi kontrol’ v zarubezhnykh stranakh [Constitutional Control in Foreign Countries], edited by E. Ya. Pavlov and E. A. Kremyanskaya, MGIMO University, 2015, pp. 216–242.

  13. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Constitutional Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities: The Experience of Serbia.” Opción, vol. 35, special issue 23, 2019, pp. 1433–1446.

  14. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Sources of International Law in the Legal System of a Modern State.” Opción, vol. 35, special issue 22, 2019, pp. 1507–1520.

  15. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Konstitutsionnyi sud Serbii [Constitutional Court of Serbia].” In Konstitutsionnyi kontrol’ v zarubezhnykh stranakh [Constitutional Control in Foreign Countries], edited by E. Ya. Pavlov and E. A. Kremyanskaya, MGIMO University, 2015.

  16. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Osobennosti zakonodatel’nogo protsessa v Respublike Serbiya [Features of the Legislative Process in the Republic of Serbia].” Probely v rossiiskom zakonodatel’stve [Gaps in Russian Legislation], no. 7, 2017, pp. 37–41.

  17. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “K voprosu o statuse deputata Narodnoi skupshchiny Respubliki Serbiya [On the Status of a Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia].” Problemy ekonomiki i yuridicheskoi praktiki [Problems of Economics and Legal Practice], no. 3, 2017, pp. 126–130.

  18. Polovchenko, Konstantin A. “Teoriya i praktika formirovaniya organa konstitutsionnogo kontrolya: opyt Serbii [Theory and Practice of Forming a Constitutional-Control Body: The Experience of Serbia].” Sotsial’no-politicheskie nauki [Social and Political Sciences], no. 1, 2017, pp. 96–100.

Konstantin Polovchenko
MGIMO (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
kpolovchenko@gmail.com

How to cite:

Konstantin Polovchenko. The Constitutional Status of the President in Serbia’s Parliamentary System. Revista Cultura Científica, 2026 Issue 24. pg. 1833-1841.

Publication History

  • Received: 21/05/2026
  • Accepted: 01/10/2026
  • Published: 13/10/2026
Copyright © 2026, Konstantin Polovchenko. Published by Revista Cultura Científica. This article is published as open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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