Key facts
- The "Student List-Students Win" movement is challenging Aleksandar Vučić's 12-year rule in Serbia.
- The movement began after a deadly train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024.
- The movement has attracted anti-government voters and includes candidates from various professions.
- European observers are monitoring Sunday's snap election due to concerns about fairness.
- Serbian media has seen significant coverage favoring government representatives.
Rallies across Serbia on Thursday marked the final day of campaigning ahead of snap elections on Sunday, which are seen as a referendum on President Aleksandar Vučić's 12-year rule. The primary challenge to his dominance comes from a two-year-old student movement, "Student List-Students Win," which has mobilized anti-government sentiment across the country. The movement began on November 1, 2024, after a deadly collapse at the Novi Sad train station, which critics linked to corruption and negligence associated with the president. The protests have since expanded beyond university campuses to include various segments of Serbian society. European observers are monitoring the upcoming vote due to concerns about electoral fairness, with reports of significant media bias favoring government representatives and a high number of attacks on journalists.