Serbia votes in snap election as student movement challenges Vucic

Key facts

• Student-led protests have become the most serious challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić's regime.
• The protests were ignited by a railway station tragedy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people.
• The student movement is largely leaderless, emphasizing democratic ways and solidarity.
• Independent polls indicate growing public dissatisfaction with the government and Vučić.
• The Students' List is competing in the snap parliamentary election.

Serbia held snap parliamentary elections on Sunday, with a significant student-led movement challenging President Aleksandar Vučić's long-standing rule. The protests, which began in late 2024 following a deadly railway station collapse and subsequent government violence against students, have united a new generation against years of democratic backsliding and corruption. Independent polls suggest Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is electorally vulnerable for the first time since 2012. The Students' List, a new political force, is competing in the election, with fears of potential violence due to the close race.