Serbia is voting in a snap parliamentary election, with longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic facing the biggest challenge to his rule in years. Hundreds of voters lined up at polling stations in Belgrade and Novi Sad in the early hours of election day. According to observers, the turnout by late morning is on track to exceed that of the 2023 parliamentary vote.
The election comes after nearly two years of student protests that began after the Novi Sad tragedy. Two years ago, a collapsed railway station canopy killed 16 people. The incident sparked widespread public anger amid allegations that corruption contributed to the construction flaws. Protesters have also accused the authorities of authoritarian pressure, and the movement has gradually fielded candidates for parliament.
Student List Enters the Fight
The student list includes 250 little-known candidates - farmers, university professors and actors. The list is headed by a cardiologist and is campaigning on promises to curb corruption and reform education.
“After two years of protests, all the efforts and all this energy, I hope something will change and my friends and I can return to this country,“ Anja, a Belgrade resident who has lived in France in recent years, told RFE/RL. She warned that without change, even more young Serbs may choose a life abroad.
Vucic called early elections in September and stepped down from his second term as president to run for prime minister again. Although the protests are against his rule, some Serbs credit him with economic growth and state investment in highways and schools.
Vucic and his supporters in the Serbian Progressive Party reject accusations of corruption and repression. He claims the student movement is funded by foreign agents. At a rally on October 22, Vucic said: “This was one of the most difficult but also the most emotional campaigns. We stood up to those who wanted to destroy Serbia.“
A contested race and votes from Kosovo
An “Ipsos“ poll, published on October 22, gave the Serbian Progressive Party 47 percent of the vote, compared to 40 percent for the student reformers. The election results will show whether the ruling party will retain its parliamentary majority or whether the student movement will succeed in turning the street mobilization into a political force.
Serbs who traveled from Kosovo are also voting in the southern town of Raska. Among them are residents of northern Mitrovica, who say they expect Belgrade to protect the Serb community in Kosovo. “I just hope everything goes smoothly”, said Boyan.
Voting ends at 8:00 p.m. local time, and the first results are expected around 10:00 p.m.
Sources: rferl.org