Serbia's Sunday Vote: Vučić's Record Against a Student-Built List

Serbians vote in parliamentary elections on Sunday, choosing between the country's long-serving leader and a candidate list assembled by university student assemblies. Analysts expect a close count, though reliable polling is scarce in the run-up.

The contest centers on Aleksandar Vučić, who has held the posts of deputy prime minister, prime minister and president since 2012. He stepped down as president last month to run for prime minister in the snap election he called. Supporters credit him with economic growth and infrastructure projects over the past decade, and he has labeled the student movement foreign-backed and aimed at 'bringing down our state'.

Opposing him is the Student List, which grew from nearly two years of anti-corruption protests. The unrest began after a canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. The station renovation belonged to Vučić's Belgrade to Budapest high-speed rail project. Student assemblies at university faculties picked 250 candidates, none with prior political backgrounds; the group includes academics, athletes, economists and engineers.

Cardiologist Ilija Srdanović, a professor at Novi Sad University, appears at the top of the list but does not lead the movement, which has no hierarchy or designated leader. He would not necessarily be the first choice for prime minister if the list won. 'It is absolutely normal to stand with my students to help them in their fair struggle,' Srdanović said. A Novi Sad University student who gave only her first name, Aleksandra, called the professional mix a strength: 'We've gathered people who are actually the best in their fields.'

The Student List and its backers say state institutions and media coverage tilt toward Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party. After the 2023 parliamentary vote, the International Election Observation Mission reported an 'overwhelming ruling party advantage' stemming from 'bias in the media' and 'misuse of public office and resources'. Magda Anastasijevic, Eastern Europe analyst at the conflict monitor ACLED, said Vučić has in past crises located a person to blame, adding, 'This was not the case for the canopy.'

Foreign policy also sits in the campaign. Serbia continues EU membership talks while maintaining ties with Russia and China, neither of which recognizes Kosovo's declaration of independence. At a rally, Vučić asked whether the Student List would impose sanctions on Russia.

The final gatherings drew a sharp contrast. The ruling party filled Belgrade Arena with Vučić as the sole speaker, while a reported 150,000 people assembled in Slavija Square to hear students and candidates. A pro-government camp has occupied a small central Belgrade park for 18 months, and its residents have repeatedly attacked journalists; Vučić has called it 'a symbol of resistance'.

The International Election Observation Mission documented 'bias in the media' and 'misuse of public office and resources' after the 2023 parliamentary vote.