Serbia’s Student List challenges Aleksandar Vučić’s 12-year rule
Serbia’s Student List is fielding 250 candidates in Sunday’s parliamentary election, presenting the strongest challenge yet to Aleksandar Vučić after 12 increasingly authoritarian years in power. Vučić resigned as president five months before his final term expired and is seeking to retain power as prime minister at the head of the Serbian Progressive party (SNS). Polling is sharply divided: one July survey put the students ahead by 45% to 36%, while more recent polls regarded by the opposition as pro-government favour the SNS.
The movement grew from protests after a concrete canopy collapsed at Novi Sad railway station on 1 November 2024, killing 16 people. No official has been held accountable, and demonstrations spread nationwide after SNS supporters attacked students holding a vigil. The campaign now centres on corruption, alleged links between the governing party and organised crime, neglected infrastructure and perceptions that economic growth has been distributed unfairly.
Student List has deliberately avoided conventional leadership, making it harder for state-aligned media to target individuals. Its candidates—chosen through university faculties and protest assemblies—include more than 160 people with doctorates, alongside farmers and other professionals. Its platform was also agreed collectively, leaving EU membership to a referendum while affirming Serbia’s claim to Kosovo. With neither camp expected to accept defeat readily, a disputed result could bring unrest and clashes.
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