Serbia’s Parliamentary Election Features Incumbent Vucic vs. Student‑Led Anti‑Corruption Challenge

Polls show populist leader Aleksandar Vucic in a tight race against the anti‑corruption and anti‑authoritarian movement.

Published On 25 Oct 202625 Oct 2026

Serbians are voting in a snap parliamentary election that pits longtime populist leader Aleksandar Vucic against a surging student‑led protest movement seeking his ouster. Vucic, who has served as prime minister and president for more than a decade, now runs for prime minister after resigning from the presidency in September.

The vote follows almost two years of student‑driven demonstrations that erupted after a fatal train‑station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in 2024 claimed 16 lives. Protesters blame government corruption and an erosion of democratic norms, fueling a broader demand for systemic reform.

The students have since gained widespread support.

A defeat for Vucic would represent a dramatic shift for the Balkan nation of roughly six million people, echoing the recent overturning of Hungarian leader Viktor Orban’s dominance in April’s election.

Despite the challenge, Vucic remains a formidable incumbent. Many voters credit his administration with rescuing Serbia from economic stagnation and delivering sustained modernisation.

“The Serbian election is shaping up to be a watershed moment for the country as the Student List mounts the biggest challenge against Vucic yet,” said Mario Bikarski, senior Europe analyst at risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, in comments to Reuters.

During the campaign, Vucic has pledged higher pensions, increased public‑sector wages, expanded state health care, and subsidies for young families. He has balanced deeper ties with China—a major investor—and Russia, Serbia’s traditional ally and primary gas supplier, while maintaining an EU accession pathway.

Nevertheless, EU relations have strained under his tenure, with Brussels pressing for reforms in judicial independence, rule of law, and anti‑corruption measures.

The Student List’s platform emphasizes rooting out corruption and improving education, offering limited detail on foreign policy.

The movement fields a roster of 250 candidates—ranging from university professors and artists to farmers—headed by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic.

Polls indicate a razor‑tight contest. An Ipsos survey released Thursday puts Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party at 47 percent of the vote, versus 40 percent for the student coalition, though other surveys show the Students ahead.

Human‑rights groups report an uptick in repression since the 2024 disaster, alleging government‑linked crackdowns on dissent.

About 150,000 student supporters gathered in central Belgrade on Thursday to rally for change.

Vucic and his party have consistently denied accusations of repression, corruption, and espionage against opponents.

Vucic has claimed the student movement is financed by foreign agents from Croatia and Montenegro, a charge the students reject.

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