Famous Serbian Leaders

Peter II of Yugoslavia reigned as the last king of Yugoslavia from 9 October 1934 until his ousting from power on 29 November 1945. Considered the last reigning king of the Karađorđević dynasty, Peter II of Yugoslavia moved to the USA after his deposition where he suffered from alcoholism and depression.

Slobodan Milosević was a Serbian political leader who served as the President of Serbia from 1989 to 1997 and of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000. He pursued Serbian nationalist policies, which resulted in the breakup of the socialist Yugoslav federation. Milosevic was charged with war crimes in connection to the Bosnian War, the Croatian War, and the Kosovo War, and died in custody.

Lepa Radić was a Yugoslav Partisan best remembered for her involvement in the resistance movement opposing the Axis powers during World War II. In 1951, she was posthumously honored with the Order of the People's Hero for her role during the Second World War. Lepa Radić was executed at age 17 for firing at German troops.

Serbian military leader Dragoljub Mihailović headed the Yugoslavian underground army known as the Chetniks, during World War II. He had also fought in the Balkan Wars and World War I, but post-World War II, he was convicted of treason and executed by the communist powers of Yugoslavia.

Ana Brnabić is a Serbian politician and the current Prime Minister of Serbia. Brnabić is the first openly gay person and first woman to hold the office of the prime minister of Serbia. In 2019, Ana Brnabić was mentioned in Forbes magazine's most powerful woman in the world and most powerful female political leader lists.

Quintillus was a Roman emperor for a brief period of time in 270 AD. He succeeded his brother Emperor Claudius Gothicus after the latter's death in 270. However, Quintillus' claim to the throne was challenged by Aurelian, who eventually succeeded him after a battle.

Karađorđe was a Serbian revolutionary and freedom fighter. An important figure during the First Serbian Uprising, Karađorđe is best remembered for leading Serbia's fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire in the early 1800s. He is also credited with founding the Karađorđević dynasty. 

Stefan Nemanja reigned as the Grand Prince of Serbia from 1166 to 1196. He is credited with founding the Nemanjić dynasty, which went on to become one of the most important dynasties of Serbia in the Middle Ages. Stefan Nemanja is also renowned for his contributions to Serbian culture. He is counted among the most prominent Serbs of all time.

Zoran Đinđić was a Serbian politician best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Serbia from 25 January 2001 until his murder on 12 March 2003. Prior to his service as Serbia's Prime Minister, Zoran Đinđić served as the Mayor of Belgrade from 21 February 1997 to 30 September 1997.

Dragutin Dimitrijević was a Serbian army officer best remembered for his association with a secret military society called the Black Hand, which organized the May Coup and the assassination of Queen Draga and King Alexander I of Serbia. Dragutin Dimitrijević was found guilty of conspiracy and executed by firing squad on 26 June 1917.

Serbia’s 5th president, Aleksandar Vučić has also been the country’s deputy prime minister and prime minister earlier. He also held important Serbian ministries such as defense and information. Initially part of the Serbian Radical Party, he later joined the Serbian Progressive Party. He also initiated the Open Balkan economic zone.

Alboin reigned as the king of the Lombards between 560 and 572. He conquered the northern part of Italy, which enabled the Lombards to settle down in Italy. Not surprisingly, Alboin had a lasting effect on Italy. In 572, Alboin was assassinated by the Byzantines in a coup d'état.

Former Serbian president Boris Tadić had been a member of the Democratic Party since its inception. He later launched the Social Democratic Party, which he now heads. A staunch EU supporter, he donated the financial part of the European Prize for Political Culture he received to charitable causes.

Tomislav Nikolić is a Serbian former politician best known for his service as the fourth President of Serbia from May 2012 to May 2017. An influential politician, Tomislav Nikolić also served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia from March 1998 to August 1999. He then served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia from August 1999 to October 2000.

Sergej Trifunović is a Serbian actor, politician, comedian, singer, and activist. He is best known for establishing a charity organization called Support Life, which aims at helping underprivileged children with medical condition. From 2019 to 2020, Sergej Trifunović served as the president of a liberal political organization called the Movement of Free Citizens.

Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian retired politician and statesman. He is best known for his service as the Prime Minister of Serbia from 4 March 2004 to 7 July 2008. Vojislav Koštunica also served as the President of FR Yugoslavia from 7 October 2000 to 7 March 2003. Koštunica is also known for co-founding the Democratic Party of Serbia.

Nikola Pašić was a Serbian and Yugoslav diplomat and politician. A leading political figure for nearly four decades, Pašić served as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Serbia on several occasions between 1891 and 1918. Nikola Pašić is also remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia on three occasions between 1918 and 1926.

The president of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, was born to a police officer father and gained fame as a 5-year-old prodigy who had learned to read and write by himself and had admirable general knowledge. An academically brilliant student, he later led the SPS.

Biljana Plavšić is a Bosnian Serb retired politician. She is best known for her service as the President of Republika Srpska from 1996 to 1998. She played an important role during the Bosnian War and was later indicted for crimes against humanity during the war. Prior to entering politics, Biljana Plavšić worked as a professor at the University of Sarajevo.

Marinika Tepic is a Serbian politician best known for her association with the Party of Freedom and Justice, where she is the current vice-president. Apart from being a prominent politician, Marinika Tepic is also a veteran minority rights and human rights campaigner.  

Dobrica Cosic was a Yugoslav and Serbian political theorist, writer, and politician. He is best remembered for his service as the first President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 15 June 1992 to 1 June 1993. Dobrica Cosic also achieved popularity as a writer, winning prestigious awards such as the Medal of Pushkin and the NIN Award.

Former Yugoslav army officer and commander Zoltán Dani initially used the alias Gvozden Đukić and is remembered for commanding a 250th Missile Brigade battery that shot down a NATO F-117 Nighthawk, carrying Dale Zelko during the Kosovo War. Post-retirement, he has launched his bakery and restaurant. He later met Zelko on friendly terms.

Bata Zivojinovic was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician and actor. Counted amongst the best actors in former Yugoslavia, Živojinović played important roles in over 340 films and TV series. Over the course of his career, Bata Zivojinovic was honored with several prestigious awards including the prestigious Beogradski pobednik for his lifetime achievement.

Milovan Đilas was a Yugoslav politician, author, and theorist. He is best remembered for his service as the Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1954. Milovan Djilas played a key role during the Second World War, where he was active in the Partisan movement.

Hostilian reigned as the Roman emperor for a brief period from June to July 251. Prior to becoming the emperor, Hostilian had been elevated to caesar by his father and then-Roman Emperor Decius. When Decius and his older son Herennius Etruscus died at the Battle of Abritus, Trebonianus Gallus was proclaimed emperor and Hostilian was elevated to co-emperor.

Mirjana Markovic was a Serbian academic and political figure. The wife of Yugoslav and Serbian politician Slobodan Milošević, Mirjana is best remembered for her role as the First Lady of the Socialist Republic of Serbia from 1989 to 1990. She was also the First Lady of the Republic of Serbia from 1991 to 1997.

The 9th president of Republika Srpska, which is a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zeljka Cvijanovic has also headed the region as its 11th prime minister. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats member also teaches English language and literature and has a master’s degree in law.

Momcilo Krajisnik was a Bosnian Serb politician best known for co-founding the Serb Democratic Party alongside Radovan Karadžić. Although he was an important politician, Momčilo Krajišnik was accused of crimes against humanity in 2006 and was given a 20-year prison sentence.

Serbian prince George was the older brother of Alexander I, the king of Yugoslavia. While he had to give up his claim to the throne for murdering his servant, he later served the army. Locked up and declared insane by his brother, he was freed by Germans during World War II.

Serbian author and politician Vuk Drašković has been the deputy minister of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War and has led the monarchist Serbian Renewal Movement. He has also been a minister of foreign affairs for Serbia and Montenegro and for Serbia. He met his wife, Danica, during student protests.

Yugoslav and Montenegrin politician Momir Bulatovic served as the 1st president of the Republic of Montenegro at a time when the country was in a turmoil due to the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia. He also became the 3rd prime minister of the FR Yugoslavia.

Željko Ražnatović was a Serbian mobster, sports administrator, politician, and paramilitary commander. He played an important role during the Yugoslav Wars, where he led a paramilitary group called the Serb Volunteer Guard. Željko Ražnatović was indicted for crimes against humanity before his assassination in 2000.

Apart from serving as Serbia’s minister of foreign affairs, Vuk Jeremić also headed the United Nations General Assembly as its youngest-ever president. He opposed Kosovo’s declaration of independence and now heads the CIRSD and serves as the editor-in-chief of the public policy magazine Horizons.

Initially a journalist, Dragan Đilas later joined politics and also excelled as a businessman. The Serbian politician has been the 72nd mayor of Belgrade and a Member of the National Assembly. He also owns a charitable organization that works for Serbian children who lost their parents in the war-torn Yugoslavia.

Serbian army commander Radomir Putnik was the country’s first Field Marshal and Chief of the General Staff. He led the Serbs in the Balkan Wars and World War I. One of his most significant wins was against the Austro-Hungarian army in the battles of Cer and Kolubara in 1914.

Former Serbian general Veljko Kadijević led the Yugoslav People's Army and had also served as Yugoslavia’s minister of defense. He is known for his exploits in World War II, the Ten-Day War, and the War in Croatia. He also co-founded the League of Communists of Yugoslavia.

The 12th prime minister of Yugoslavia, Milan Stojadinović was also a seasoned economist and had served as his country’s finance minister for 3 terms. He had also taught economics at the University of Belgrade. When regent prince Paul asked him to resign, he moved to Argentina, where he focused on an economics magazine.

Serbian politician and minister of internal affairs, Aleksandar Vulin, who represents the Movement of Socialists, has also been a lawyer. He has previously held significant ministries such as those of defense and labor and has also been a minister without portfolio in charge of Kosovo and Metohija.

Lidija Vukicevic is a Serbian actress and politician. She started her film career at the age of 22 when she appeared as a sexy housemaid named Lilika in Žikina dinastija. She was eventually typecast as a sex symbol in the Serbian film and TV industry. Also a politician, Vukicevic was part of the Serbian Radical Party from 2004 to 2012.

Aleksandar Sapic is a Serbian politician and the current Mayor of Belgrade. Prior to his political career, Sapic was a water polo player. He represented his country in important tournaments like Olympic Games. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics and a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics. Sapic also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics.

The 2nd vice-president of Yugoslavia, Koca Popovic had also been a Communist volunteer at the Spanish Civil War. Remembered as the man who saved the Yugoslav People's Army, he also supported the Serbian rebels and was a pioneering figure of the Serbian Surrealist movement.

Serbian politician and Liberal Democratic Party leader Čedomir Jovanović has served as Serbia’s deputy prime minister. He has previously been part of the Yugoslav People's Army and the Bosnian War. He is also associated as a manager with an enterprise named Fidelinka. Though educated in dramaturgy, he never worked in that profession.

Initially a prominent Serbian military journalist and commentator, Miroslav Lazanski later entered politics. He was a non-partisan Member of the National Assembly, nominated by the Serbian Progressive Party. He later served as Serbia’s ambassador to Russia, a position he held till his death of a heart attack.

Serb-Yugoslav historian and author Slobodan Jovanović was the prime minister of Yugoslavia when the government was in exile during World War II. Initially an academician, he taught law at the University of Belgrade and was the university’s vice chancellor, too. He also penned several historical works.

Serbian military officer Vojislav Tankosic co-founded the Black Hand secret military society. He had been part of the Balkan Wars and World War I. He later also participated in the 1903 May coup that brought King Peter I to power and was involved in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Serbian-born Israeli politician Yosef Lapid started his career as a print and broadcast journalist who went on to win the prestigious Sokolov Award. He then focused on politics and joined the Zionist Shinui party, before switching to the Secular Faction. He also served as Israel’s deputy prime minister and minister of justice.