Serbia's political alignment shifted dramatically when 140 out of 250 national assembly seats went to the youth-backed Student List in the October 25 snap parliamentary election, handing the movement an emphatic 53% majority and defeating former president Aleksandar Vučić.
Mr. Vučić and his United Serbia coalition secured 39% of the vote, translating to 104 seats in opposition, Meduza reported. The stunning defeat caps nearly 14 years of political dominance for the former leader, who resigned as president just a month prior in hopes of returning as prime minister.
🗨️ "The question now is whether this very diverse movement can agree on a government and begin reforming institutions quickly enough to meet voters' expectations," cautioned @BojanaZori2 on @Channel4, discussing the Student List's election win in Serbia. https://t.co/GpBgpsJGFb pic.twitter.com/6UIWebfHDg
Tragedy Sparks a Movement
The political earthquake traces back to November 2024, when a concrete canopy collapsed at a renovated train station in Novi Sad, killing 16 people, including two children. Protesters immediately accused officials of endemic corruption and a lack of transparency in awarding public contracts.
As former UN diplomat Garrett Patrick Kelly recounted on The Pat Kenny Show, as reported by Newstalk, the tragedy followed earlier waves of protests over Belgrade waterfront development and lithium mining. But this third uprising pushed the public past its breaking point. They wouldn’t say who had been given it. There was allegations that it had been corruptly tendered to people who were incompetent,
Kelly said of the withheld tender documents.
Serbia’s student movement have ended Vucic’s 14-year rule. Europeans now need to support the new, inexperienced government to reform the captured state. @ECFREuropeanSec https://t.co/odzlXZOAKo
Despite police crackdowns and the arrest of student activists like film student Mia—who described being grabbed by her hair outside the Faculty of Law in Belgrade—the protests remained peaceful and eventually forced the snap election.
Student List Wins as Voter Turnout Hits Record High
Voters turned out in historic numbers, with preliminary turnout reaching 68.78%, higher than any parliamentary election over the previous decade, according to Meduza data. Polling had suggested a tight race, but the Student List ultimately outperformed expectations by winning more than 13 percentage points ahead of the ruling party.
Less than two hours after polls closed, Mr. Vučić conceded defeat at Serbian Progressive Party headquarters. We don’t have final results yet. Based on a stratified sample, it’s clear that we lost this election. Student List has won: they will have between 135 and 140 seats, and we will have 105,
he stated, as noted by Meduza.
Incoming Administration Plans to Reform Security Services
With official results pending, the newly elected MPs face a 30-day window to form a government, extendable to 90 days if needed. Ivan Vejvoda, co-founder of Europe’s Futures Initiative, told RTÉ News that the incoming administration’s priority is putting the house in order
and reforming captured security services.
The movement campaigned under the banner Serbia or the mafia
and promised independent police bodies to investigate corruption. Public media reform is also moving swiftly.
Student List Selects Prime Minister from Professional Ranks
Operating without a single visible chief executive—relying instead on collective assemblies and debates—the Student List must now select a prime minister from its ranks of academics, doctors, lawyers, and engineers. Three main figures have emerged for the top job: cardiologist and Novi Sad professor Ilija Srdanović, former National Bank of Serbia governor Dejan Šoškić, and former professional basketball player Dejan Bodiroga.
Meduza
In their foreign policy platform, released in late September, representatives of the student movement said Serbia would maintain its principled position against imposing restrictive measures on Russia.
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