Serbia Election: Vučić Faces Student List in Tight Race
A 150,000-person rally in Belgrade contrasts with the incumbent’s single-speaker arena event as analysts predict a close parliamentary vote Sunday.
By Natalia Costa ·
Serbia heads to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary election that analysts expect to be extremely close. The contest pits long-serving leader Aleksandar Vučić against a student-driven movement that has emerged from two years of anti-corruption protests.
The Student List was formed after 16 people died when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad. University assemblies selected 250 candidates, none with prior political experience. The slate includes academics, athletes, economists, and engineers. Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor at Novi Sad University, tops the list. He arrived for an interview on a motorbike wearing a fluorescent yellow jacket with pro-student slogans. "It is absolutely normal to stand with my students to help them in their fair struggle," Srdanović said.
The movement lacks a formal hierarchy or nominated leader. A student at Novi Sad University, who identified herself only as Aleksandra, described the diverse slate as a strength. "We've gathered people who are actually the best in their fields," she said. The group argues that Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party dominate state institutions and media. The International Election Observation Mission noted an "overwhelming ruling party advantage" in the 2023 vote due to media bias and the misuse of public resources. For 18 months, a pro-government camp has occupied a park in central Belgrade, and its residents have attacked journalists repeatedly.
Vučić has served as deputy prime minister, prime minister, or president since 2012. He stood down as president last month to run for prime minister. He points to economic growth and infrastructure improvements over the past decade. He described the student movement as foreign-backed and said it aims to "bring down our state." The Novi Sad disaster remains a liability for Vučić because the station renovation was part of his flagship high-speed rail project. Magda Anastasijevic, an Eastern Europe analyst at ACLED, said Vučić usually survives crises by finding a scapegoat. "This was not the case for the canopy," she said.
Foreign policy has entered the campaign. Serbia continues EU membership talks while maintaining ties with Russia and China. Both countries refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. Vučić warned at a rally that those links could be lost under a Student List government. He asked if the group would impose sanctions on Russia.
The final rallies highlighted the different strategies. The ruling party filled Belgrade Arena with Vučić as the sole speaker. A reported 150,000 people gathered in Slavija Square to hear students and candidates. Voters choose between a single strong leader and a collective approach.
Reliable polls are scarce, but the result is expected to be one of the closest in Serbia's democratic history.
