BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbian citizens cast ballots Sunday in a pivotal parliamentary election that pits longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic against a youth-led political coalition, following nearly two years of persistent street demonstrations, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera reported.
Polling stations opened across the Balkan nation at 7 a.m. local time and were scheduled to shut at 8 p.m., with preliminary indicators expected roughly two hours later, according to Al Jazeera. The state election commission is not anticipated to publish official vote tallies before Monday, AP reported.
Vucic stepped down from the presidency in September to seek the prime minister post, heading the governing Serbian Progressive Party, known as SNS. Serbia’s 6.4 million eligible voters are selecting from 18 competing political parties for the 250-seat parliament, where lists must capture at least 3 percent of the vote to secure representation.
The Roots of the Student Movement
The youth mobilization gained momentum after a concrete canopy collapsed at a rail terminal in Novi Sad in 2024, killing 16 people. Protesters attributed the disaster to negligent reconstruction enabled by state corruption and cronyism, unleashing recurring demonstrations that demanded governmental accountability.
On Thursday, roughly 150,000 demonstrators assembled in central Belgrade to back the student coalition, Al Jazeera reported. The Students’ List adopted an unconventional ballot strategy: rather than running student leaders, the slate features 250 lesser-known figures, including farmers, university instructors, artists and athletes, headed by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic.
Jelena Vasiljevic, a senior research associate at the University of Belgrade’s Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, told Al Jazeera that youth, traditionally seen as uninvolved politically, have formed the center of the largest social mobilization in decades. She noted that “the political dynamic has changed from the ground up.”
Vucic’s Base and Competing Polls
Vucic, who has governed as prime minister and then president for over a decade, retains a disciplined voter base. Supporters applaud his administration for advancing economic modernization and maintaining state stability, AP reported. During his campaign, Vucic pledged increased pensions, higher public sector compensation, healthcare investments and financial aid for young couples.
Vucic has navigated partnerships with China and Russia while keeping open the prospect of joining the European Union, though EU officials have criticized stalled anti-corruption and judicial reforms. He has denied all accusations of authoritarianism and graft, asserting instead that external operatives in Croatia and Montenegro funded the student protesters, an allegation the student movement rejected.
Pre-election polling suggests a razor-thin contest. An Ipsos survey released Thursday placed the SNS at 47 percent against 40 percent for the students, while competing polls placed the student coalition in the lead, Al Jazeera reported.
Concerns Over Post-Election Stability
International and domestic monitors raised concerns regarding campaign fairness, pointing to detentions, cyberattacks against activists and heavy government sway over national media outlets, according to AP.
While Vucic affirmed that he would accept defeat if his coalition loses, he warned that any post-vote demonstrations alleging electoral fraud would face immediate suppression. Conflict monitors have cautioned that tensions could boil over quickly.
Magda Anastasijevic, an analyst tracking Eastern Europe for the conflict research group ACLED, said that election-related violence has increased in Serbia and warned it could intensify “particularly if the results are disputed.”
