Student List Wins Decisive Victory in Serbian Elections

The Student List movement won a decisive victory in Serbia's snap parliamentary elections, securing approximately 53% of the popular vote and 140 of 250 seats. The movement defeated former president Aleksandar Vučić and his United Serbia coalition, which received roughly 39% of the vote. The election follows the resignation of Vučić as president on September 27 and the assumption of acting presidential duties by National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic.

On November 1, the Republic Electoral Commission of Serbia completed repeat voting at 53 polling stations for 24,438 eligible voters. These re-votes were required at 31 stations where results were indeterminate and 22 where voting had been annulled. Preliminary results from 8,338 of 8,392 polling stations placed the Student List at 53.04% and the Vučić-led list at 38.97%.

Emerging from protests following a deadly 2024 train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad, the Student List campaigned on an anti-corruption platform under the slogan "Serbia or the mafia." The movement aims to depoliticize public institutions, strengthen judicial independence, and reform security services, including calling for the resignation of leadership at the public broadcaster RTS.

Because the movement operated without a single figurehead, it must now select a prime minister and form a technocratic cabinet. Leading contenders include cardiologist Ilija Srdanović, former National Bank governor Dejan Šoškić, and former basketball player Dejan Bodiroga. While the movement remains committed to European integration, its rejection of Kosovan independence may complicate Serbia's EU accession process.