Serbia’s student movement unveils list for early elections — The Independent

In Serbia, a student movement that has been holding anti-corruption protests for nearly two years has formed the “Student List” to take part in the early parliamentary elections on October 25. It has become one of the main rivals of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), the party of Aleksandar Vucic. This was reported by The Independent.

Vucic left the presidency last month to run for prime minister. His party has been in power for 14 years. According to the publication, the SNS and the student-backed list are closely matched ahead of the vote, so the election outcome remains uncertain.

From protests to an electoral list

The student movement emerged after a tragedy at a railway station in northern Serbia in November 2024, when 16 people were killed. Protest participants demanded that those responsible be held accountable and linked the deaths to widespread corruption. The demonstrations spread across the country, led to the fall of the government and put pressure on Vucic.

The movement has no formal leader or spokesperson. Participants make key decisions at plenums — faculty assemblies at different universities across the country. Candidates for the list for the 250-seat parliament were selected through nominations and vetting at universities. The list includes teachers, professors, specialists, athletes, farmers and artists.

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Concerns over the vote

Representatives of the student movement said their meetings are being monitored and that the authorities are allegedly preparing new detentions. As The Independent notes, Vucic has pushed back against the students through detentions, accusations of anti-state activity and possible surveillance.

Vucic also accused his opponents of intending to steal the victory of his political force. At the same time, according to the publication, the SNS controls the electoral bodies and the judicial system. The party has previously been accused of election violations, including pressure on voters, bribery and inflating voter rolls; the SNS rejected these accusations. International observers and the European Union expressed concern about the safety and fairness of the upcoming vote. Analysts fear that both sides may claim victory on election night.

The students’ final election rally in Belgrade, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to draw tens of thousands of people.