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Student movement takes Serbia's Vučić to the wire in neck-and-neck election

5:27 PM ETConfirmed

World Desk

In Short: Serbian students are mounting a serious challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić in a tense parliamentary election.

In a tense parliamentary election, Serbian students are mounting a serious challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić, who has ruled the country since 2012.

Ilija Srdanović, a physician and top candidate for the opposition Student List, told the BBC, 'It is absolutely normal to stand with my students to help them in their fair struggle.'

The Student List, which emerged from nearly two years of anti-corruption protests, has gained significant support since the Novi Sad rail station disaster in November 2024, where 16 people died.

The movement, which has selected 250 candidates through university assemblies, is pushing for political changes in Serbia. 'Gen Z and students are rising up and fighting for a government that will invest in their futures,' said Kosta Golubović, a 21-year-old law student at the University of Novi Sad, to POLITICO.

Vučić, who has served as deputy prime minister, prime minister, and president, resigned from the presidency in September to run for prime minister. He has been in power for 12 years and is facing one of the most competitive elections in recent memory.

The final Student List rally in Belgrade's Slavija Square drew a reported 150,000 supporters, with enthusiastic chants of 'Victory' and mobile phone lights illuminating the crowd.

The Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, Michael O’Flaherty, criticized Serbia’s government in a report and said he “will monitor the situation closely” on election day.

The election is considered uncertain, with Professor Nebojsa Vladisavljevic of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade telling Balkan Insight, 'These are the first elections in a long time whose outcome is entirely uncertain.'

Background

What's confirmed

• At the last parliamentary election in 2023, the International Election Observation Mission noted "overwhelming ruling party advantage" due to "bias in the media" and "misuse of public office and resources".
• Support for the student movement has grown since the protests first started in November 2024.
• People hold a cutout of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic during the final "Student List – Students Win" rally ahead of a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct.
• People shine the lights of they mobile phones and light flares during the final "Student List – Students Win" rally ahead of a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct.
• The flag waving boisterous crowds chanted “Victory” in a wave of optimism ahead the early vote that comes after almost two years of student-led protests against Vucic’s tight rule in the Balkan country.
• Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Serbia’s protesting students have gathered for the final campaign rally ahead of the tense parliamentary election on weekend in a mounting challenge to the Balkan country’s powerful strongman Aleksandar Vucic.

What's still developing

• The Student List has emerged from almost two years of anti-corruption protests led by young Serbians, outraged by the deaths of 16 people when a railway station's canopy collapsed in Serbia's second city Novi Sad.
• Voters in Serbia will decide in a tense parliamentary ballot this weekend whether to extend the 14-year rule of Russia-backed populist strongman Aleksandar Vucic or back a youth movement behind nearly two years of protests seeking political changes in the Balkan country.
• "This year it's going to be over 100 billion euros, which is $120 billion."
• In a report published Wednesday, the Serbian Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability monitoring group cited “narrowing of freedoms and deepening of inequality” among election participants and voters.
• Unorthodox campaign is challenging the ruling party’s 14-year reign with a bold democratic experiment Unorthodox campaign is challenging the ruling party’s 14-year reign with a bold democratic experiment O n a cool autumn evening, a team of Serbian student volunteers went canvassing in the housing estates of Krnjača, a Belgrade suburb.
• “Turnout is the key,” one said, adding: “Orbán fell with 80%” – a reference to the Hungarian elections in April.
• "You deserve better, and we know how to deliver it. Students are winning!"
• "This assessment is not based on isolated incidents, opposition claims or political disagreement with the government," a joint statement by 24 organisations said, arguing it was supported by documented findings.
• Instead of running as candidates themselves, the students selected 250 candidates through assemblies in various faculties of the country's universities.
• Whatever Vučić's title, there has never been any doubt that he was the man in charge – an image enthusiastically promoted by Serbia's largely uncritical media.
• He retains strong support among a significant section of Serbia's population.

Sources

• BBClink
• Bozeman Daily Chroniclelink
• Fox Newslink
• POLITICO.eulink
• Al Jazeeralink
• Ottumwacourierlink
• Tribuneledgernewslink
• Mankatofreepresslink
• Balkaninsightlink
• The Guardianlink
• Tdtnewslink
• DWlink
• Englishlink
• Starbeaconlink
• WarpBeat — background on Unrest Mars Day of Protest in France, as Student Movement Turns National link
• India Today Global — video link