Serbia votes in election pitting longtime leader against student movement | Elections News
Serbia Votes Amid Rising Student Protest Movement
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Published on October 25, 2026
Serbia is holding parliamentary elections amid a widespread protest movement led by students, who are pushing to oust long-time populist leader Aleksandar Vucic. Vucic has been in power for over a decade, first as prime minister and then as president.
The snap elections, called by Vucic in September, follow nearly two years of student demonstrations that have focused on addressing issues of corruption and increasing authoritarianism. These protests were catalyzed by a tragic incident in 2024, when a train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals.
The student-led movement has gained significant momentum, attracting broad public support. A defeat for Vucic could signify a substantial political shift in Serbia, a nation of approximately six million people, reminiscent of the recent electoral loss of Hungary’s Viktor Orban.
Vucic, who resigned as president in September to re-enter the political fray, has maintained a strong incumbency, with many voters crediting him for elevating Serbia’s economic standing and fostering modernization.
“The Serbian election is shaping up to be a watershed moment for the country as the Student List mounts the biggest challenge against Vucic yet,” said Mario Bikarski, a senior Europe analyst at risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft.
During the campaign, Vucic has made promises to enhance pensions and public sector salaries, invest in state healthcare, and offer subsidies for young couples. He has also sought to strengthen ties with China, Serbia’s significant investor, while maintaining traditional relations with Russia, its primary natural gas supplier. Moreover, Vucic has expressed a willingness to progress toward European Union membership, although relations with the EU have become strained due to concerns over a lack of judicial reform and transparency.
The Student List movement emphasizes fighting corruption and improving education, while remaining relatively quiet on foreign policy issues. Their candidate roster features 250 individuals, many of whom are relatively unknown figures, including university professors, actors, and farmers, with cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic as the leading figure.
Recent opinion polls indicate a competitive race, with an Ipsos survey placing Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party at 47 percent and the Student List at 40 percent, though other polls suggest the student movement may be ahead.
Rights groups and activists have reported an increase in government repression following the train station disaster, which many attribute to corruption within the administration.
On Thursday, approximately 150,000 supporters of the student movement gathered in central Belgrade for a final rally ahead of the elections.
Vucic and his party have consistently denied allegations of repression, corruption, and spying on their opponents. The former president has claimed that the student movement receives funding from foreign agents in Croatia and Montenegro, which the students categorically deny.
