Serbia Votes on Sunday as Student Bloc Challenges Vučić

Serbians head to the polls on Sunday to choose a new parliament in a race that could end without a single leader. Analysts expect a tight result, though reliable polls are scarce. The main contest pits Aleksandar Vučić, who has led the country in various capacities since 2012, against a student-driven movement.

The Student List emerged from nearly two years of protests following the death of 16 people when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad. University assemblies selected 250 candidates for the list. Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor at Novi Sad University, tops the ballot. He arrived for an interview on a motorbike, wearing a fluorescent jacket with pro-student slogans. "It is absolutely normal to stand with my students to help them in their fair struggle," Srdanović said.

The group operates without a formal hierarchy. Srdanović is not the leader and would not automatically become prime minister if the list wins power. The candidate pool includes academics, athletes, and engineers with no prior political experience. Aleksandra, a student at Novi Sad University, described the lack of political insiders as a key strength. "We've gathered people who are actually the best in their fields," she said.

Vučić stood down as president last month to run for prime minister after calling the snap election. He cites economic growth and infrastructure work as evidence of his administration's success. He has described the student movement as foreign-backed and accused it of trying to "bring down our state."

Critics argue that Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party controls state institutions and media. An international observation mission noted a "ruling party advantage" in the 2023 vote, citing media bias and the misuse of public resources. A pro-government camp has occupied a park in central Belgrade for 18 months, where residents have attacked journalists. Vučić calls the camp a "symbol of resistance."

The Novi Sad disaster remains a central issue. The station renovation was part of the Belgrade to Budapest high-speed rail project, linking the tragedy directly to Vučić’s infrastructure agenda. Magda Anastasijevic, an analyst at ACLED, noted that Vučić usually survives crises by finding a scapegoat. "This was not the case for the canopy," she said.

Foreign policy also features in the campaign. Serbia continues EU talks while maintaining ties with Russia and China. Vučić warned that those links could be lost under a Student List government. In the final days of campaigning, the ruling party filled Belgrade Arena with Vučić as the sole speaker. A separate rally in Slavija Square drew an estimated 150,000 people to hear student candidates.