Ana Brnabić
Who was Ana Brnabić?
Current Prime Minister of Serbia since 2017 and the first openly gay head of government in the country. She previously worked as a business consultant before entering politics.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Ana Brnabić (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Ana Brnabić was born on September 28, 1975, in Belgrade, which was then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. She studied abroad, earning a degree from Northwood University in the United States and a postgraduate degree from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Her studies in business and management led to a career in consulting and public administration reform rather than politics. Before joining the government, she worked as a business consultant, specializing in organizational management and public sector development.
Brnabić joined the Serbian government in August 2016 when Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić appointed her as Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government. She worked on modernizing central government services and streamlining administrative processes in Serbia. Her effective and reform-driven performance prompted Vučić to propose her as his replacement when he became President in mid-2017.
On June 29, 2017, the National Assembly of Serbia elected her as Prime Minister with a majority of 157 out of 250 votes. Her appointment was groundbreaking; she was the first woman and the first openly lesbian person to become Prime Minister of Serbia. Initially a non-partisan member of the government, she joined the ruling Serbian Progressive Party in 2019 and became one of its vice presidents in 2021. She was reappointed as Prime Minister following both the 2020 and 2022 parliamentary elections, eventually becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister.
During her time as Prime Minister until 2024, Brnabić dealt with complex domestic and international issues, including Serbia's ongoing negotiations for European Union membership and the sensitive issue of Kosovo's status. In 2019, Forbes ranked her as the 88th most powerful woman in the world and the 19th most powerful female political and policy leader globally. Some political analysts suggested that real power was held by President Vučić due to the political influence concentrated in the presidency.
After the 2023 parliamentary elections, Brnabić moved from the executive to the legislative branch, becoming President of the National Assembly of Serbia in 2024. She has been internationally recognized, receiving the Order of the Republika Srpska. Her career journey from business consultant to the highest legislative office in Serbia marks a unique path in Balkan politics.
Before Fame
Ana Brnabić grew up in Belgrade during a challenging time in Yugoslav and Serbian history, living through the breakup of Yugoslavia, the conflicts of the 1990s, and the political and economic changes that followed. Her choice to study in the United States at Northwood University and later in the United Kingdom at the University of Hull showed the hopes of many Serbians who looked abroad for opportunities during a time when the country was rebuilding.
After her studies, Brnabić worked as a business consultant, a role that put her at the heart of organizational reform and public institutions. This experience was directly useful when she joined the government in 2016, as Serbian leaders were looking for experts with private sector and international experience to update the country's administrative systems. Her rise in politics was more about her proven skills in management than party loyalty or traditional campaigning.
Key Achievements
- First woman and first openly lesbian person to serve as Prime Minister of Serbia
- Longest-serving Prime Minister in modern Serbian history, holding office from 2017 to 2024
- Elected President of the National Assembly of Serbia in 2024
- Ranked among the 100 most powerful women in the world by Forbes in 2019
- Led administrative modernization reforms as Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government beginning in 2016
Did You Know?
- 01.Brnabić was elected to the National Assembly and appointed to government without prior electoral experience, having built her public profile through consultancy and administrative reform rather than party politics.
- 02.She joined the Serbian Progressive Party only in 2019, two years after she had already been serving as Prime Minister, having initially governed as a non-partisan appointee.
- 03.Forbes ranked her the 88th most powerful woman in the world in 2019, placing her 19th among female political and policy leaders globally.
- 04.She is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Serbia's modern political history, holding the office continuously from 2017 to 2024.
- 05.Brnabić received the Order of the Republika Srpska, an award granted by the neighboring Bosnian Serb entity, reflecting cross-border political relationships in the Western Balkans.
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Republika Srpska | — | — |