Serbia Faces Political Upheaval After Student List Election Victory
Serbia enters a period of intense political transition as the victorious Student List moves to dismantle the old guard amid public demands for accountability.
At a glance
- The Student List won 53 percent of the vote in the October 25 parliamentary election.
- Outgoing leader Aleksandar Vucic criticized the changes and warned against revolutionary terror.
- Investigations into electoral fraud and corruption have already been launched by prosecutors.
Serbia is navigating a swift and profound political realignment following an election that swept an anti-corruption student coalition to power. The Student List, an alliance of professors, activists, and artists, captured 53 percent of the vote in the October 25 election, leaving Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party trailing with 39 percent.
The ballot box defeat follows years of mounting public anger, catalyzed by a fatal railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that resulted in deaths. In the days since the vote, citizens have removed Vucic portraits from municipal buildings, while prosecutors launched investigations into electoral fraud and the operations of state institutions.
Response from Aleksandar Vucic
Aleksandar Vucic held a press conference complaining of what he termed revolutionary terror. He warned that if state authorities failed to act against the harassment of political opponents, his side would organize themselves.
Vucic specifically pointed to demands calling for the head of the Serbian state broadcaster RTS to step down right away alongside the removal of senior editors. Meanwhile, a small group of protesters recently entered the Informer TV station, prompting calls from journalists' associations for its broadcasting license to be revoked.
Challenges Ahead
The electoral process remains technically incomplete, with repeat voting scheduled at about 50 polling stations due to earlier irregularities. Once those ballots are counted, the new parliament can formally convene to establish a government.
The central challenge for the Student List will be translating its electoral mandate into systemic reform while managing public impatience and a lingering administrative power vacuum. Zlatko Minic from Transparency Serbia warned that departing officials still retain opportunities to award contracts and create financial obligations before the transition concludes.
What to watch: The upcoming repeat vote at about 50 polling stations on November 1 and the subsequent convening of the new parliament.
Reporting from: DW. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Serbia elections
- Student List
- Aleksandar Vucic
- Serbian Progressive Party
- Belgrade politics
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