Serbia Votes in Election Pitting Longtime Leader Against Student Movement

Serbians are casting their votes in parliamentary elections amidst a significant student protest movement aiming to unseat Aleksandar Vucic, the populist leader who has held power as prime minister and then president for over a decade. These snap elections, called by Vucic in September, follow nearly two years of student-led demonstrations sparked by the collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people and fueled accusations of corruption and creeping authoritarianism.

Highlights

• Serbia is holding parliamentary elections, with incumbent leader Aleksandar Vucic facing a challenge from an anti-corruption student movement.
• Vucic resigned as president in September to run again for prime minister.
• The student movement focuses on combating corruption and improving education, with less emphasis on international policy.
• Recent polls show Vucic's party leading, though some surveys suggest a closer race with the student movement.
• Vucic claims the student movement is funded by foreign agents, an accusation the students deny.

Details

A defeat for Vucic could signal a major political shift in the Balkan nation of approximately 6 million people. However, Vucic remains a strong incumbent, credited by many voters for improving Serbia's economy and overseeing a period of modernization. During his campaign, he promised increased pensions and public sector salaries, investments in healthcare, and subsidies for young couples. He has maintained close ties with China and Russia while keeping open the possibility of joining the European Union.