Born on 2 May 1981 in Niš, where she completed primary and secondary education, as well as undergraduate and master’s studies at the Faculty of Law of the University of Niš.

She passed the bar exam. From 2009 to 2011, she was a legal trainee, then a lawyer. She has been in dormant status since 2012.

From 2012 to 2016, she served as Deputy Secretary of the Niš City Assembly, and from 2016, also as President of the Niš City Election Commission.

From 2016 to 2020, she was a member of parliament, and from 2020 to 2022, she was a member of parliament and the Chairperson of the Serbian parliament’s Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Legislation, as well as a councillor of the Assembly of the City Municipality of Crveni Krst in Niš.

During the term of the Serbian parliament from 2022 to 2024, she was a member of parliament and the Chairperson of the parliament’s Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Legislation.

In the same period, she was a councillor of the Assembly of the City Municipality of Crveni Krst in Niš.

From May 2024 to April 2025, she served as Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government.

She speaks English.

Married.

Jelena Žarić Kovačević