Serbia votes in election pitting longtime leader against student movement

Key Points:

• Serbians began voting in snap parliamentary elections amid a mass student protest movement demanding the ousting of long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic, who has dominated Serbian politics for over a decade.
• The student protests were sparked by the 2024 train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, and have since gained widespread support by accusing the government of corruption and prioritizing elites over citizens.
• Vucic, who resigned as president to run again for prime minister, campaigns on economic modernization, social benefits, and balancing ties with China, Russia, and the EU, though relations with the EU have soured over reforms and rule of law issues.
• The student-led opposition, known as the Student List, focuses on anti-corruption, education reform, and institutional rebuilding rather than foreign policy, and has mobilized many young and previously disengaged voters.
• Opinion polls predict a close race between Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party and the Student List, with voter turnout seen as critical; tensions remain high amid accusations of government repression and foreign interference claims.