His arrival to the presidency brings representation back to the forefront. LGTBQ + in a country that still does not legally recognize same-sex couples
Ana Brnabić makes history in Serbia. The openly lesbian Serbian politician has assumed the interim presidency of the country following the resignation of Aleksandar Vučić, becoming the first openly gay person to hold the head of state position in a Balkan country.
Brnabić, 51, was until now the Speaker of the National Assembly. According to Serbian law, when the presidency becomes vacant, the Speaker of Parliament temporarily assumes the duties of head of state for a maximum period of three months.
This milestone holds particular significance for the LGBTQ+ community . Brnabić had already set a precedent in 2017 when she became the first woman and the first openly gay person to serve as Prime Minister of Serbia . Her appointment now as head of state represents another historic step in the political representation of LGBTQ+ people.
Personal contradiction
Brnabić 's personal history highlights some of the contradictions that persist regarding LGBTQ+ rights in Serbia. The politician is in a relationship with Milica Đurđić, a radiologist, with whom she has a son, Igor, born in 2019 through in-vitro fertilization.
However, Brnabić was legally recognized as the child's mother. Since Serbia does not have a legal framework recognizing same-sex couples, Igor was registered only as Đurđić 's son , and neither of them had legal recognition as a couple.
This situation is particularly significant because Brnabić had stated in 2017 that he did not plan to promote reforms to expand LGBTQ+ rights , considering other political, social, and economic issues to be priorities. This position was challenged by activists, who pointed out the contradiction between his own family situation and the lack of legal guarantees for other same-sex parent families in Serbia.
A figure close to Vučić
The political career of Brnabic It is also closely linked to VucicShe served as Minister of Public Administration, Prime Minister from 2017 to 2024, and subsequently as Speaker of Parliament. Her appointment as interim Speaker has drawn criticism from opposition groups and analysts, who believe that her status as a woman and a lesbian could project an image of openness that does not fully reflect the current human rights situation. LGTBQ + en Serbia.
Brnabić herself stated in 2017 that she did not want to be defined solely as the “gay prime minister” and that she did not plan to place LGBTQ+ reforms among her immediate priorities.
His arrival to the interim presidency thus leaves a double dimension: on the one hand, a historic event for LGBTIQ+ representation in the Balkans ; on the other, a reflection of the contradictions that still persist regarding the rights of homosexual people and same-sex families in Serbia.
