Student movement takes Serbia's Vučić to the wire in neck-and-neck election
News Source
•Fri, 23 Oct 2026 23:08:23 GMT
📰 What Happened
Serbia votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that has turned into a tight race. The Student List, a new opposition movement, has 250 candidates chosen by student assemblies. Its top candidate is Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor at Novi Sad University.
The movement grew out of nearly two years of protests over a railway station roof collapse that killed 16 people in Novi Sad. Aleksandar Vučić, who has led Serbia since 2012, called the early election last month.
🔍 The Backstory
Vučić has served as deputy prime minister, prime minister and president, and his Serbian Progressive Party has held power since 2012. The Novi Sad disaster in 2024 became a symbol of anger over unsafe buildings and corruption.
The students did not run themselves. They picked doctors, professors and other citizens for the list instead, hoping to win votes from people tired of the old parties.
🎯 Why It Matters
Serbia sits between the European Union and Russia. A strong student result could change how the country is run and how fast it moves toward EU membership.
Serbia votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that has turned into a tight race. The Student List, a new opposition movement, has 250 candidates chosen by student assemblies. Its top candidate is Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor at Novi Sad University.
The movement grew out of nearly two years of protests over a railway station roof collapse that killed 16 people in Novi Sad. Aleksandar Vučić, who has led Serbia since 2012, called the early election last month.
Vučić has served as deputy prime minister, prime minister and president, and his Serbian Progressive Party has held power since 2012. The Novi Sad disaster in 2024 became a symbol of anger over unsafe buildings and corruption.
The students did not run themselves. They picked doctors, professors and other citizens for the list instead, hoping to win votes from people tired of the old parties.
Serbia sits between the European Union and Russia. A strong student result could change how the country is run and how fast it moves toward EU membership.