In brief
The Student List, a collective of 250 candidates from universities across Serbia, is preparing to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls against an incumbent who has governed since 2012. Led on the ticket by professor Ilija Srdanović, the movement emerged from protests triggered by a tragic collapse at a railway station in Novi Sad. Supporters call the campaign a grassroots challenge to alleged media bias, corruption and entrenched state power. Both sides frame the race as a test of Serbia’s future direction, with the opposition emphasising collective leadership and the ruling party underlining experience and economic growth.
In a race that feels like a tug‑of‑war over Serbia’s heart, a student‑run list has turned the spotlight on long‑time president‑turned‑prime minister Aleksandar Vučić.
Since 2012, Vučić has controlled the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and dominated national politics. The Student List, chosen by university assemblies, put 250 candidates on the ballot, led on paper by Professor Ilija Srdanović of Novi Sad University. It claims to have formed in response to unrest after a tragic canopy collapse at a railway station that killed 16 people.
The mobilised crowd—ranging from academics to athletes—argues that their lack of political experience is a strength, bringing fresh expertise to the helm. The movement’s grassroots ethos is a direct contrast to the Serbia‑wide media coverage that many say favours the incumbent.
Vučić’s campaign remains anchored in promises of stability, citing a decade of growth and infrastructure gains, while warning that a Student List victory could jeopardise ties with Russia and China over Kosovo’s status. He has also defended the high‑speed railway link that the collapsed canopy incident was part of, refusing to fully distance himself from the tragedy.
Polls remain thin, but analysts predict a razor‑thin outcome. Whether Serbia will evolve under a collective youth‑oriented model or maintain its current strong‑man leadership rests on the voters’ decision in the coming days.
