Serbian Student Movement Mounts Major Challenge to Aleksandar Vučić in Snap Elections

BELGRADE — A mass student movement that has demonstrated across Serbia for two years is mounting an unprecedented political bid in upcoming parliamentary elections, seeking to dislodge Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

The collective, known as the Student List, is putting forward 250 candidates across the country. The slate was chosen and endorsed through university faculty plenums, featuring more than 160 doctorate holders alongside farmers and other professionals. The movement has bypassed traditional leadership structures to limit vulnerabilities to state-backed media attacks, while relying on intense door-to-door canvassing to connect directly with voters.

Vučić, who has maintained an increasingly authoritarian hold on Serbian politics for 12 years, unexpectedly stepped down as president last month—months before his constitutional term was set to expire—to head the SNS ticket and seek the prime minister's office. Polls have shown mixed projections, leading observers to anticipate a tightly contested vote with heightened risks of post-election disputes.

Origins of the Protests

The protest movement originated after a major infrastructure disaster on November 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. Evidence pointed to flawed modifications during refurbishment, but no official cause was determined and no officials were held to account. When student demonstrators in Belgrade held a vigil three weeks later, they were attacked by SNS-linked groups, triggering nationwide rallies.

Public anger has focused heavily on government corruption and neglected public infrastructure. Serbia currently ranks lower on Transparency International’s corruption index than any of its regional neighbours. The Student List has run on the slogan "Serbia or Mafia?", directly confronting alleged connections between the ruling party and organised crime, which the government denies.

Campaign Challenges

The movement faces significant institutional hurdles. Independent monitors note that state-run media heavily favours the government, with a September analysis finding that 69% of broadcast airtime was devoted to the ruling majority. The opposition has also alleged unequal arrangements for diaspora voting stations.

Sceptics, including former government officials, have questioned whether the inexperienced student coalition can successfully challenge the SNS outside of major metropolitan areas. In response, student organisers have sought to canvass extensively in rural towns, hoping to engage Serbians who historically abstained from voting. With tensions high, the movement plans to deploy monitors across polling stations and prepare post-election street demonstrations should disputes arise over the final tally.

Source: The Guardian.