Serbia’s student-backed Student List – Students Win is projected to hold a parliamentary majority after leading the Oct. 25 vote, a result that could shift political power pending certification.
The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) said its preliminary count, as of 3 p.m. ET Oct. 26 (8 p.m. CET), covered 97.56% of polling stations. It gave Student List 52.71% of the vote and the rival “Aleksandar Vučić – United Serbia” list 39.17%. The Serbian Government’s account projected 140 of the National Assembly’s 250 seats for Student List and 104 for the rival. Election observer CRTA estimated Student List would win 138 seats, with a margin of error of two seats in either direction.
The group presents itself as a collective, with no individual standing above the wider community. It says students developed the candidate slate through more than a year of plenums, debate and voting. Its 11-point platform covers anti-corruption measures and proposals on the judiciary, media, education, housing and health care.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) said the governing side had campaign advantages. The mission cited political use of public resources, pressure on voters and news coverage that favored United Serbia while portraying Student List mainly in a negative light. It also recorded high turnout and an active contest.
The European Union (EU) said certification should clear the way for a smooth handover and the swift formation of parliament and government. EU foreign-policy chief Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos offered support for accession-related reforms, including democratic standards, judicial independence and fundamental rights such as media freedom. Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009, became a candidate in 2012 and opened accession negotiations in 2014.
The student movement links its justice campaign to the Nov. 1, 2024, collapse of a canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people, according to a European Parliament resolution. The Serbian Government said former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced his resignation on Sept. 27 and said a presidential election must take place by the end of December. His announcement did not set a date.
