Serbia is preparing for parliamentary elections on Sunday amid a political landscape reshaped by two years of widespread protests and growing youth activism. The elections represent a critical juncture for Aleksandar Vucic, the country’s long-standing leader, who recently stepped down as president and is seeking to return as prime minister.
The unrest that has challenged Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) traces back to a tragic event on November 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy collapsed at Novi Sad’s railway station, killing 16 people. The disaster sparked public outrage over alleged corruption and mismanagement linked to a multimillion-euro renovation project. Mass demonstrations quickly followed, with protesters branding construction officials responsible and demanding broader political accountability.
Construction Minister Goran Vesic resigned in response, but protesters pressed on, seeking transparency, including the release of renovation documents. A silent vigil in late November 2024 was reportedly attacked by individuals connected to SNS, triggering a student blockade at Belgrade University. The blockade soon spread nationwide, galvanizing a broad protest movement predominantly led by students and youth groups. Despite promises of transparency from Vucic, the protests intensified, with reports of violent confrontations between protesters and pro-government supporters.
This activism has crystallized into the Student List, a political force emerging from the protests, which some opinion polls suggest could challenge or even surpass the SNS in Sunday’s vote. The movement’s symbol—a battered bedsheet emblazoned with the slogan “Machinists against the Machinery”—reflects its grassroots origins, particularly among engineering students. The Student List campaigns under slogans like “Serbia or Mafia,” emphasizing opposition to corruption, the concentration of power, and the legacy of political figures associated with nationalist policies.
Analysts note that the elections could potentially mark the end of Vucic’s 14-year dominance, which has been characterized by suppressing independent media, patronage networks, and a balancing act between Western and Russian interests. Vucic’s government has also faced criticism for stoking ethnic tensions and maintaining hardline nationalist alliances across the Balkans. Some observers compare the current political moment to recent challenges to leaders in Hungary and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, suggesting a possible shift toward reversing democratic backsliding.
Vucic’s campaign relies heavily on state resources, deploying large-scale advertising and promising salary and pension increases alongside continued geopolitical neutrality. In contrast, the Student List depends on social media, local organizing, and volunteer-driven efforts. Despite its growing visibility, the student movement remains loosely organized, lacking a clear leadership or comprehensive manifesto, with many members choosing to remain anonymous due to concerns over potential reprisals.
The movement has drawn support beyond university campuses, extending into other sectors such as arts, services, and agriculture, and capturing the attention of everyday citizens expressing frustration with the status quo. A range of voters, including some former supporters of Vucic, have expressed openness to change, seeing the student-led effort as a potential catalyst for reform.
As Serbia heads to the polls, the outcome will be closely watched both domestically and internationally, with the possibility of significant political shifts on the horizon.