Serbia Votes Amid Student Protest | JQJO

Serbian voters began a parliamentary election on Sunday, a snap vote called by long‑time leader Aleksandar Vucic in September.

Polls show Vucic in a tight race against the Student List, an anti‑corruption movement that has gained widespread support after student demonstrations that began following the 2024 collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people.

The Student List, led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic, focuses on rooting out graft and improving education, with a roster of 250 largely unfamiliar candidates.

A loss for Vucic would mark a profound political shift in the six‑million‑strong Balkan country, reminiscent of Hungary’s Viktor Orban defeat in April.

Vucic, who resigned as president in September to run again for prime minister, has promised higher pensions, public‑sector salaries, investment in state healthcare and subsidies for young couples, while balancing ties with China, Russia and an open door to the European Union.

Relations with the EU have frayed under his leadership, with the bloc frustrated over a lack of reforms addressing the judiciary, rule of law and corruption.