Who Is Branko Ružić

Branko Ružić is a Serbian politician, born on 14 December 1975 in Zemun, who for more than three decades was one of the leading figures of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). Over the course of his political career he held the positions of minister without portfolio in charge of European integration, minister of public administration and local self-government, and minister of education, science and technological development, while from 2020 to 2022 he also served as first deputy prime minister of the Republic of Serbia. The name Branko Ružić returned to public attention in 2026, when, after decades of party membership, he was expelled from the SPS, bringing his political story within that party to a dramatic close.

Early Life and Childhood

Branko Ružić was born in Zemun, into a family with strong diplomatic ties. His father, Kostadin Ružić, was a prominent Yugoslav diplomat who served in Australia, in the city of Perth. Because of his father's posting, Branko Ružić spent a significant part of his childhood in Australia before the family returned to Yugoslavia. That experience of growing up abroad, in a very different cultural environment, left a mark on his later interest in international relations and foreign policy, a field to which he would go on to dedicate his higher education.

After returning to Belgrade, Ružić attended the "Bora Stanković" Elementary School in Banjica, and completed his secondary education at the Twelfth Belgrade Gymnasium, one of the traditionally well-regarded gymnasiums in the capital.

Education

After finishing gymnasium, Branko Ružić enrolled at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Belgrade, choosing the international relations department. He graduated with a degree in political science with a focus on international relations, a title he still lists as his profession in official parliamentary records. During his student years, from 1996 to 1999, he served as student vice-dean at the Faculty of Political Sciences, an early sign of his interest in organizational and leadership work that he would later carry into party and state politics.

Beginnings in Politics

Branko Ružić joined the Socialist Party of Serbia in 1996, while still a student. His rise within the party was gradual but consistent. In March 2000 he was elected president of the Young Socialists of Serbia, the party's youth organization, a position he held until December 2002. At the same time, from March 2001 to December 2002, he also served as spokesperson of the Socialist Party of Serbia, during one of the most challenging periods in the party's history, following the political changes of October 2000.

Ružić received his first parliamentary mandate in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2001, and held that position until December 2003. From 2004 to 2006 he was a member of parliament in the then State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, where he served on the Committee for European Integration and as a member of the permanent delegation of that parliament to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Within that body he was also a member of the Political Committee and the Committee on Human Rights, gaining early experience in international parliamentary diplomacy.

Rise Through the Party Hierarchy

In December 2006, at the Seventh Congress of the Socialist Party of Serbia, Branko Ružić was elected president of the Executive Board of the party's Main Board, making him one of the key figures in the operational leadership of the SPS. During that period he also served as deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of football club Partizan, a position he held until 2013, showing that his engagements at the time extended beyond purely party matters.

Following the 2008 parliamentary elections, Ružić became a member of parliament and president of the SPS-JS (Socialist Party of Serbia – United Serbia) parliamentary group in the National Assembly, a position he retained after the 2012 elections as well. In that convocation he was again a member of the National Assembly's permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Ministerial Positions and the Peak of His Career

Branko Ružić took on his first ministerial position in August 2013, when, following the reconstruction of Ivica Dačić's government, he was appointed minister without portfolio in charge of European integration. He held that post until July 2014, when he was succeeded by Jadranka Joksimović.

A new, significantly longer ministerial term followed on 29 June 2017, when Ružić was appointed minister of public administration and local self-government in the government of Serbia, on the proposal of then prime minister-designate Ana Brnabić. He remained in that position until 28 October 2020.

A turning point in his career came precisely in October 2020, when, in the newly formed government of Ana Brnabić, he was appointed first deputy prime minister of the Republic of Serbia and, simultaneously, minister of education, science and technological development. He held the position of first deputy prime minister until October 2022, when he was again succeeded in that role by Ivica Dačić, while he retained the education portfolio in the government formed at the end of October 2022, continuing in that ministerial post.

As minister of education, Ružić was responsible for one of the most sensitive government portfolios, covering the entire Serbian education system, from elementary schools to universities.

Resignation Following the Tragedy at "Vladislav Ribnikar" School

Branko Ružić's tenure as minister of education came to a dramatic end. On 3 May 2023, a mass shooting occurred at "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School in the Vračar municipality of Belgrade, in which a student of the school killed nine children and a security guard. The tragedy deeply shocked the public and raised questions about accountability within the education system. Just days after the event, on 7 May 2023, Branko Ružić submitted his resignation as minister of education. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia formally confirmed his resignation on 29 May 2023, at which point it officially took effect.

Although he left his ministerial post, Ružić remained engaged within the executive branch. According to data from the Anti-Corruption Agency, from 30 May 2023 he was employed as an adviser to then first deputy prime minister Ivica Dačić, receiving a monthly salary that, according to that data, was higher than his previous ministerial pay.

Return to Parliament and the Break with the SPS

Branko Ružić again won a parliamentary seat in subsequent elections, with his mandate confirmed in the National Assembly on 6 February 2024, as the ninth candidate on the electoral list associated with the ruling coalition in which the SPS participated. In the new convocation he served as deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Stabilization and Association and as a deputy member of the delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

During 2025, a period marked by large-scale student protests in Serbia, Branko Ružić took part in demonstrations held on 15 March 2025. Because of that participation, the SPS Statutory Commission, on 4 April 2025, imposed a disciplinary measure suspending him from all party functions for six months. In addition, on 16 April 2025, during the vote on the election of a new Serbian government in the National Assembly, Ružić did not vote in line with the decision of the party's bodies and its parliamentary group.

These circumstances led to a final break. On 31 August 2026, the SPS Statutory Commission, by unanimous decision of all eleven members, decided to expel Branko Ružić from the party. In its statement, the SPS cited continuous violations of the party statute, failure to comply with decisions of party bodies, and public statements in which he criticized party policy, as well as his failure to observe the suspension previously imposed on him. Ružić, for his part, had earlier stated that his primary interest was in pursuing dialogue about the future composition of power in Serbia.

Following his expulsion, Branko Ružić announced that he would return his parliamentary mandate and continue his political engagement outside the SPS. In line with this, he submitted a written resignation from his position as a member of parliament, citing the Law on the Election of Members of Parliament and the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, stating that he was submitting the resignation freely and unambiguously.

Personal Life

Branko Ružić has been married to Ana Ružić for more than two decades. His wife studied political science but paused her studies in her third year to devote time to raising a family, later resuming her education and earning a higher education degree. Ana Ružić is a businesswoman and held a senior position at a major company. The couple has two children, a son, Milutin, and a daughter, Elena. Branko Ružić is known for occasionally sharing photographs from family gatherings on social media.

Interesting Facts

Few people know that Branko Ružić comes from a family with a long diplomatic tradition, given that his father, Kostadin Ružić, was a prominent Yugoslav, or "Tito-era," diplomat who served in Australia. It is also notable that, alongside his later focus on domestic politics and education, Ružić also built a career in the sporting sphere, serving as deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of football club Partizan. During his decades in the SPS, he held nearly every significant party function — from president of the youth wing, through party spokesperson, to deputy chairman of the Main Board — before being expelled from the party in 2026, after three decades of membership.

Awards and Recognition

Publicly available sources contain no information about official state or international awards or recognitions granted to Branko Ružić, beyond the positions he held within the state and party hierarchy.

Legacy and Influence

Branko Ružić's political career spans three decades of active involvement within the Socialist Party of Serbia, during which he held positions in three different ministries and was elected a member of parliament on multiple occasions. His tenure at the head of the Ministry of Education will primarily be remembered for the dramatic circumstances of his resignation following the tragedy at "Vladislav Ribnikar" School, an event that sparked a broader public debate about safety in Serbian educational institutions. His expulsion from the SPS in 2026, after more than three decades of continuous membership, represents one of the more symbolic examples of internal party divisions in contemporary Serbian politics, and raises the question of his future political engagement outside the party he had belonged to since his student days.

Biography - Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Branko Ružić?

Branko Ružić is a Serbian politician, born in 1975, a long-serving official of the Socialist Party of Serbia who held several ministerial positions, including minister of education and first deputy prime minister of Serbia.

When and where was Branko Ružić born?

Branko Ružić was born on 14 December 1975 in Zemun, in what was then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

What education did Branko Ružić receive?

He graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Belgrade, in the international relations department, and holds a degree in political science with a focus on international relations.

What ministerial positions did Branko Ružić hold?

He served as minister without portfolio for European integration (2013-2014), minister of public administration and local self-government (2017-2020), and minister of education, science and technological development (2020-2023), while also serving as first deputy prime minister of Serbia from 2020 to 2022.

Why did Branko Ružić resign as minister of education?

He resigned in May 2023, just days after a mass shooting at "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School in the Vračar municipality of Belgrade, in which nine children and a security guard were killed.

Is Branko Ružić still a member of the Socialist Party of Serbia?

No. The SPS Statutory Commission unanimously decided on 31 August 2026 to expel him from the party, after he had earlier, in April 2025, been given a six-month suspension from party functions.

Is Branko Ružić still a member of parliament?

No. Following his expulsion from the SPS, Ružić submitted a written resignation from his position as a member of parliament in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.

Is Branko Ružić married and does he have children?

Yes, he has been married to Ana Ružić for more than two decades, and the couple has two children, a son, Milutin, and a daughter, Elena.

Was Branko Ružić connected to sports?

Yes, he served as deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of football club Partizan, a position he held until 2013.

Where does Branko Ružić's family come from?

His father, Kostadin Ružić, was a Yugoslav diplomat who served in Australia, where Branko Ružić spent part of his childhood, before the family returned to Belgrade.

Conclusion

Branko Ružić represents an example of a politician whose career developed for nearly three decades within a single party, the Socialist Party of Serbia, from the position of youth leader to first deputy prime minister of Serbia. His career was marked by important ministerial positions in the fields of European integration, public administration, and education, but also by the dramatic end of his term as minister of education, following the tragedy at "Vladislav Ribnikar" School. His political path took a new, uncertain direction in 2026, when, after decades of party membership, he was expelled from the SPS and resigned his parliamentary mandate, raising the question of his future political career outside the party to which he once belonged.