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Serbia’s Parliamentary Election: A Student-Led Challenge to Vucic’s Rule
By Drooid · · How we work
The Election at a Turning Point
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigned to run for a seat in the national parliament, aiming to shift power from the presidency to the prime-ministerial office. After 14 years of near-total control, he now faces the “Student List” (SL) – a newly formed opposition coalition that could, if victorious, reshape Serbia’s trajectory. Opinion polls differ sharply: some give the SL a lead of almost ten percentage points, others show a neck-and-neck race, and analysts note that higher voter turnout would favour the opposition.
Roots of the Student Movement
The protests began after the collapse of the canopy over Novi Sad’s main rail station, a disaster that killed 16 people and was linked by critics to a corrupt renovation contract with a Chinese consortium. Demonstrations grew throughout 2025 and 2026, with students adopting the slogan “Serbia or the mafia.” In March 2025, protesters claimed police used a US-made LRAD 450XL sonic device during a moment of silence for the victims; the government denied the allegation and the interior ministry later filed a criminal complaint against a military analyst who suggested the weapon’s use.
Government Tactics and Opposition Response
Vucic has intensified nationalist rhetoric, courting far-right support and welcoming backing from Milorad Dodik, the de facto leader of Republika Srpska and a figure described as Vladimir Putin’s “main man” in the Balkans. He also permitted a nationalist jamboree at the state funeral of Ratko Mladic, the convicted “Butcher of Bosnia,” to rally right-wing voters. Concurrently, the administration tightened media control: ten prominent journalists from the independent TV outlet N1 resigned after senior editorial appointments were perceived to favor Vucic and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Potential Regional Consequences
If the Student List wins, commentators argue the result could trigger a “swift” acceleration of Serbia’s EU accession, a development welcomed in Brussels and London. The EU is currently viewed by activists as indifferent to Serbia’s democratic struggle, while Britain, despite limited post-Brexit influence, continues to promote security cooperation in the Balkans, fearing the region’s vulnerability to Russian pressure. The election therefore stands as a pivotal moment for Serbia’s domestic politics and its broader European integration path.