Students Win Serbia Majority

The Student List took control of the Serbian parliament on Sunday, ending more than a decade of Aleksandar Vucic's dominance. The victory concludes a two-year period of protests that began after 16 people died when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad in 2024. Those initial calls for accountability expanded into a campaign against corruption and the capture of democratic institutions.

The Republic Election Commission reported that the Student List captured 52.54 percent of the vote. These figures are based on 8,077 of 8,392 processed polling stations. The United Serbia list, led by Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party, received 39.29 percent. Turnout hit 68.78 percent, marking a record high for the country in over 30 years.

Projections indicate the Student List will win 140 seats in the 250-seat assembly. This total exceeds the 126 seats required for a standalone majority. United Serbia is expected to hold 103 seats. The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians is set to receive three seats, while the Albanian political bloc will take two. The Rasim Ljajc-Ljudski and SDA Sandzak lists are each projected to win one seat.

The movement's September programme prioritized fighting corruption and organized crime. It also pledged higher living standards, more jobs, better education, and media freedom. Following the victory, the group stated it would improve relations with neighboring countries, which had grown tense during Vucic's rule.

Ilija Srdanovic, a cardiologist and professor at the University of Novi Sad, led the campaign and appears the most likely candidate for prime minister. The group has not officially named a choice, emphasizing its collective nature over individual leaders. It remains unclear who will head key ministries such as internal affairs, finance, and justice.

The new National Assembly must be constituted within 30 days of final results. A government must then be formed within 90 days. Because the Student List holds a clear majority, it avoids lengthy coalition negotiations. Ana Brnabic, the acting head of state, must call an extraordinary presidential election by December 27, as Vucic resigned on September 27.