Student Collective Challenges Vučić in Serbia's Closest Election

Serbian voters head to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary election that analysts expect to be extremely close. The contest pits Aleksandar Vučić, the country's leader since 2012, against a student-driven list that has emerged from nearly two years of anti-corruption protests. Reliable polling data remains scarce, making the outcome difficult to predict with certainty.

The Student List formed after 16 people died when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad. University faculties selected 250 candidates for the ballot, none of whom have prior political experience. The group includes academics, athletes, economists, and engineers. Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor at Novi Sad University, tops the candidate list. He arrived for a recent interview on a motorbike wearing a fluorescent yellow jacket. "It is absolutely normal to stand with my students to help them in their fair struggle," Srdanović said.

The movement lacks a formal hierarchy or single nominated leader. Srdanović is not the leader and would not automatically become prime minister if the list won. Aleksandra, a student at Novi Sad University who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the composition of the list as a strength. "We've gathered people who are actually the best in their fields," she said.

Vučić has served as deputy prime minister, prime minister, and president over the last decade. He stepped down as president last month to run for prime minister in the snap election. Supporters view him as a strong leader who defends national interests and has driven economic growth and infrastructure improvements. Critics, including the Student List, argue that his Serbian Progressive Party dominates state institutions and media. An International Election Observation Mission report following the 2023 vote cited an "overwhelming ruling party advantage" due to media bias and the misuse of public resources.

The Novi Sad disaster remains Vučić's most damaging issue because the station renovation was part of his flagship high-speed rail project to Budapest. Magda Anastasijevic, an Eastern Europe analyst at ACLED, noted that Vučić usually survives crises by finding a scapegoat. "This was not the case for the canopy," she said. Foreign policy is also a key topic, with Vučić warning that close ties with Russia and China could be lost under a Student List government. He asked voters at a rally if the group would impose sanctions on Russia.

The final campaign rallies highlighted the divide between the two sides. The ruling party filled Belgrade Arena with Vučić as the sole speaker. In contrast, a reported 150,000 people gathered in Slavija Square in Belgrade to hear from student candidates. Voters now face a choice between a single strong leader and a collective approach led by non-politicians.