A Tense Election in Serbia Will Decide if a Student Movement Can Topple Populist Leader Vucic
Students have led months of protests over corruption and election fairness, pressuring the government as President Aleksandar Vucic seeks another term.
- On Sunday, Serbia holds early parliamentary elections, with a grassroots student-led movement challenging the 14-year rule of powerful leader Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party among 6.4 million voters.
- The Students List movement emerged from nearly two years of protests triggered by a November 2024 train station tragedy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, fueling demands for accountability and justice.
- Over 100 violent incidents occurred during the campaign, as monitoring groups noted "narrowing of freedoms and deepening of inequality" among participants and voters ahead of the parliamentary vote.
- At Thursday's final rally in Belgrade, supporter Lidija Miladinovic declared, "Victory. Not everything is going to be great after Sunday, but it will be much, much better."
- Seeking to return as prime minister, Vucic has campaigned on his ties to Russia's President Vladimir Putin, while European Union observers expressed concerns regarding ballot fairness and democratic backsliding.
16 Articles
16 Articles
The Toronto Star
A tense election in Serbia will decide if a student movement can topple populist leader Vucic
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia is holding an early parliamentary election this weekend with a grassroots student-led movement trying to end the 14-year rule of the Balkan country's powerful leader Aleksandar Vucic and his right-wing populist party.
What did the election campaign in Serbia bring and what did it take away? What were the most interesting moments and what messages were sent to the voters? Analyzed by Aleksandar Miladinović.
The pre-election silence comes to us like a truce. After the election, we all need a spa for our nerves It's a little easier, the pre-election silence comes to us like a truce. After the election, we all need a spa for our nerves… We had to survive so much mental garbage, the most disgusting... Read More › Article Mirjana Bulatović: Thank God, silence appears first on Stanje stvari.
Serbia: Political confrontation reaches extremes ahead of elections – Student movement threatens Vucic's long-term rule editor03 Thu, 10/22/2026 - 23:40 In a climate of acute political polarization and intense controversy, the election campaign in Serbia has concluded, ahead of the crucial parliamentary elections on Sunday, October 25. Exclude from news feed Off Live Description Off
Political analyst Srbislav Filipović and president of the New Face of Serbia party Miloš Parandilović spoke for Euronews Serbia
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