Student List Wins Serbia Election as Protesters Storm Media

The Student List, a student-led anti-corruption movement, won a decisive majority in Serbia's general election on Sunday, securing at least 140 of 250 parliamentary seats and ending the 14-year rule of Aleksandar Vucic.

Following the victory, supporters of the movement targeted pro-government media outlets. Protesters stormed the offices and newsroom of the Informer tabloid and TV station in Belgrade, demanding an apology from editor-in-chief and owner Dragan Vucicevic for years of biased coverage. While some state media anchors at RTV in the Vojvodina region issued on-air apologies for providing one-sided information, Vucicevic remained defiant, accusing the Student List of wanting to ban the media.

Aleksandar Vucic condemned the intrusions as monstrous violence and an attack on free speech. He warned that if state authorities failed to stop the terrorizing of dissenters, his supporters would be forced to organize themselves. In response to the media's history of legal violations, the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia announced plans to apply for the revocation of Informer TV's broadcasting license.

Ilija Srdanovic, the leading candidate for the Student List, urged supporters to remain calm and avoid violence as the movement determines its future government appointments. The unrest was further fueled by figures like Dijana Hrkalović, who demanded justice for victims of a 2024 train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad.