Serbia holds parliamentary vote as student movement challenges Vucic

Voters in Serbia are heading to the polls in parliamentary elections that present the most formidable challenge yet to longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic, who is facing off against an anticorruption movement led by students.

The snap vote follows nearly two years of widespread demonstrations sparked by a November 2024 tragedy in Novi Sad, where 16 people died after a railway station canopy collapsed. The disaster unleashed public anger over state corruption and authoritarian governance, transforming student activists into a major political force known as the Student List.

Vucic, who has governed Serbia for over a decade as both prime minister and president, called the snap election in September. He stepped down from the presidency at the time in order to campaign to return to the prime minister's office. He has maintained significant domestic backing from voters who credit his administration with modernising infrastructure and fostering economic development.

During his campaign, Vucic pledged to boost public sector wages, increase pensions, expand healthcare funding, and offer financial aid to young couples. In terms of foreign policy, his leadership has balanced ties with key partners, maintaining close connections with Russia for natural gas supplies and China for major investments, while officially keeping European Union membership on the table. However, relations between Belgrade and Brussels have grown tense over rule-of-law concerns, judicial independence, and governance standards.

The opposition Student List is running on a platform centered on tackling corruption and overhauling the education sector, offering few specifics on foreign policy. The group has assembled a slate of 250 candidates largely composed of political newcomers, including educators, actors, and agricultural workers, under the leadership of cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. The movement demonstrated its momentum on Thursday when approximately 150,000 people gathered for a rally in the capital, Belgrade.

Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party have dismissed allegations of authoritarianism, opponent surveillance, and systemic corruption. The governing faction has alleged that the student organization receives financing from foreign actors based in Croatia and Montenegro, an accusation the student group strongly rejects.

Surveys indicate a very close contest. A recent poll by Ipsos placed the Serbian Progressive Party at 47 percent and the student-led coalition at 40 percent, although other surveys have shown the opposition leading. Observers consider the vote a potential turning point for the nation of around 6 million people.