Serbia Votes Sunday as Student List Challenges 14-Year Ruling Party

Serbia holds its parliamentary election on Sunday, a vote political scientist Dusan Spasojevic calls the first competitive contest since Aleksandar Vucic took power in 2012. The election pits the ruling Serbian Progressive Party against the Student List, a coalition formed by a movement that has protested the government for nearly two years. Spasojevic told Deutsche Welle that polls suggest the student group could capture more than 40% of the vote.

The movement’s momentum built on a tragic origin. Protests began in November 2024 after a concrete canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. Students framed the disaster as a symbol of institutional failure and corruption. They have since attempted to bridge ideological and foreign-policy divisions that have traditionally defined Serbian politics. On Thursday evening, thousands gathered in Belgrade for the Student List’s final rally, many having walked for days from across the country to the capital.

At the rally, biology student Arsa Stojanovic told the crowd that the walkers had crossed Serbia and found support in villages and neighborhoods. Aleksandar Cupic, a transport engineering professor and candidate, said the event "smells like freedom." The evening concluded with a kolo, a traditional circle dance. A few kilometers away, the SNS held its own closing rally, arguing that a vote for the party ensures stability and prosperity. Vucic accused opponents of serving foreign interests and attacking the party with billions of euros.

The campaign was marked by tension. The independent monitoring group CRTA recorded 116 incidents of physical violence or verbal threats in the final weeks. These included attacks on campaigners and attempts to seize banners. CRTA noted that opposition activists, particularly those linked to the Student List, faced surveillance and police questioning. The group stated the campaign was not free or fair, citing a narrowing of freedoms. Its report found that nearly three-quarters of national television airtime for political players went to government representatives, while over 80% of coverage of the Student List was negative.

Reports of vote-buying also emerged. The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network published testimony from a former SNS member describing pressure on public-sector employees. Anonymous sources told Deutsche Welle that voters were offered between €30 and €150, and in some cases holiday packages, to support the SNS. Authorities have warned for weeks that students, allegedly aided by foreign intelligence, are preparing for street violence. Several people have been arrested on suspicion of plotting disturbances for election night.

Spasojevic said a decisive win for either side would be the best outcome, but polls point to a narrow margin. He warned that a narrow SNS victory would almost certainly be contested. The Student List has vowed to defend every vote. An EU Commission spokesperson told Deutsche Welle that key recommendations on improving Serbia’s electoral framework remain unimplemented. The spokesperson stressed that democracy and the rule of law are central to the accession process, as Serbia has been an EU candidate country since 2012.