Serbia election winners seek immediate purge of security and justice chiefs

Newly elected lawmakers from Serbia's victorious Student List movement have demanded extensive resignations among the country's security and judicial leadership, following an election upset that ended years of dominance by Aleksandar Vucic's party.

Appearing in Pioneers' Park opposite the national parliament in Belgrade, the incoming deputies called for the immediate removal of unlawful police personnel and demanded that top officials step down, including the heads of the police service, the BIA intelligence agency, and the anti-terror squad. The movement voiced concerns that crucial evidence of past misconduct could be destroyed during the weeks required to complete the political transition.

The park where the press conference occurred had until recently been occupied by pro-Vucic demonstrators, whose camp was cleared shortly after the former president conceded defeat on Sunday. The Student List movement originated from massive demonstrations after a railway station roof collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people and prompting widespread public outrage over state corruption.

The incoming political bloc comprises 141 newly elected lawmakers who were chosen by university students through an extensive vetting process. The group consists largely of political novices, including academics, artists, athletes, and 12 medical doctors, rather than career politicians. They ran on a comprehensive 1,200-page policy platform aimed at recovering stolen state assets, reforming education, and restructuring the national economy.

Personnel changes have already commenced across state-linked institutions. Manja Grcic, the director of Serbia's public broadcaster RTS, has stepped down after years of criticism over alleged government bias. The winning coalition is also pushing to replace the head of state-controlled telecommunications firm Telekom Srbija, Vladimir Lucic.

The push for rapid changes has drawn sharp criticism from the outgoing administration. Acting President Ana Brnabic, a close ally of Vucic, accused the movement of pursuing summary retribution rather than constitutional due process, claiming the new leadership aims to muzzle opposing media outlets.

However, representatives of the new parliamentary group argue that swift action is necessary to restore independent oversight. Dejan Soskic, a former central bank governor elected on the list, indicated that priorities for the first half-year include passing a lustration law to bar individuals who violated citizens' rights from holding public office, along with overhauling media regulations and tackling corruption.

On foreign affairs, the movement faces delicate geopolitical choices. Although the European Union welcomed the election outcome and offered backing for anti-corruption measures, the student platform refers to the bloc primarily as an economic partner. Serbia has maintained historical connections with Russia and avoided implementing sanctions against Moscow. Soskic pointed out that Serbia's past experience under United Nations penalties during the 1990s showed that such measures primarily burden ordinary civilians rather than shifting state policy.

The newly formed legislature must now organize governance ahead of presidential elections slated for December, while the defeated Serbian Progressive Party has pledged to stage a political comeback.