Serbia Votes Sunday as Student Movement Challenges Vucic's 12-Year Rule

Serbia holds parliamentary elections on Sunday, October 25, 2026, after two years of student-led protests. The vote puts President Aleksandar Vucic's 12 years of populist rule to the test. The main opposition comes from the Student List-Students Win movement, which emerged after the November 1, 2024, canopy collapse at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people. The tragedy became a symbol of corruption and neglect in Serbia, with critics linking the failed station renovation to the president.

The movement grew from weekly student protests into a national campaign. Farmers, actors, and judges joined the students, and mobilization spread across the country. The ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), founded by Vucic, faced strong criticism, and the prime minister resigned a few weeks later. In March 2025, Belgrade witnessed one of the largest protests in its history.

“The energy is unstoppable”

Vucic held an open rally in Nis on Wednesday to conclude his campaign. He expressed confidence that his party would win the upcoming elections. He repeated that the anti-government protests of the previous two years were paid and organized by foreign services to overthrow him and dissolve the country. He said he would extend a hand of friendship to his political rivals the day after the vote for the good of Serbia.

Milorad Dodik, leader of the Serbs of Bosnia, also spoke at the SNS rally in Nis. He stressed that Vucic is dedicated to serving national interests. Dodik said Serbs in Republika Srpska consider Serbia their homeland. He also mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for Vucic during their recent meeting in Moscow.

The Student List is ending its campaign with a large rally in Belgrade today. Organizers expect tens of thousands of citizens to attend. The movement has no visible leaders and no political experience, but it claims to attract voters opposed to the government. Its lead candidate, cardiologist Ilija Srndanovic, said the energy is unstoppable as he marched to Belgrade with students.

Concerns remain about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process. The movement is represented by candidates from various sectors of society and has distanced itself from traditional opposition parties. In the 2023 elections, SNS faced a loose alliance of pro-European parties that later dissolved. This time, the threat comes mainly from the student movement.