Serbia votes as strongman Vučić faces grassroots challenge to 12-year rule - Europe live

Key Points:

• Serbian parliamentary elections on 25 October 2026 are witnessing record-high voter turnout, with projections exceeding 60% by late afternoon, the highest since the mid-2000s, driven largely by motivated opposition voters and student-led mobilization.
• The grassroots Student List, a leaderless movement born from 2024 protests following a deadly infrastructure collapse, is challenging long-time leader Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), aiming to combat corruption and systemic abuses.
• Election monitoring is extensive, with over 15,500 domestic observers and 600 international monitors, amid concerns about voting irregularities, pressure on voters, and media bias favoring the incumbent SNS.
• Serbia’s foreign policy stance remains complex; Vučić maintains close ties with Russia and China while cautiously supporting Ukraine's EU aspirations, and the Student List pledges a balanced approach respecting international law but retaining traditional partnerships.
• Serbia’s EU accession process remains stalled due to governance and rule-of-law concerns, with the Student List advocating for democratic reforms and technical progress toward EU benchmarks, though without a clear commitment to full membership.