Student List Claims Serbian Parliament, Ending Vucic Era

Serbia’s political center of gravity shifted on Sunday as the Student List won a decisive victory in snap parliamentary elections, ending Aleksandar Vucic’s more than decade-long hold on power. The result marks a sharp break from the previous administration that dominated the country’s political scene since 2014. The movement’s triumph follows nearly two years of intense street protests that began after a tragedy in the city of Novi Sad.

The Republic Election Commission, known as RIK, released official figures on Monday showing the Student List captured 52.54 percent of the vote. The data reflects counts from 8,077 of the nation’s 8,392 polling stations. In second place, the United Serbia list, led by Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party, received 39.29 percent of ballots. Voter participation reached 68.78 percent, which RIK identified as the highest turnout recorded in over three decades.

The seat distribution confirms a strong mandate for the opposition. The Student List is projected to claim 140 seats in the 250-member parliament, far exceeding the 126 seats needed for a majority. United Serbia is expected to secure 103 seats. The remaining positions will go to smaller parties, including the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians with three seats, the Albanian political bloc with two, and the Rasim Ljajc-Ljudski and SDA Sandzak lists with one seat each.

The Student List emerged from the death of 16 people in a railway station canopy collapse in 2024. What started as demands for accountability evolved into a wider campaign against corruption and the capture of democratic institutions. The bloc’s electoral program, released in September, prioritized fighting organized crime, raising living standards, and boosting employment. It also pledged to ensure media freedom and strengthen the independence of state institutions. After declaring victory, the movement stated it would work to improve relations with neighboring countries, a contrast to the tensions that marked Vucic’s tenure.

The question of who will lead the new government remains open. Unlike United Serbia, which nominated Vucic as its prime ministerial candidate before the vote, the Student List avoided naming a single figure during the campaign. The group emphasized its collective nature, bringing together academics, doctors, and workers. Ilija Srdanovic, a cardiologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Novi Sad, led the campaign and is viewed as the most likely candidate for the premiership. However, the movement has not yet revealed who will control key ministries such as finance, justice, or internal affairs.

The timeline for forming the new administration is now set by constitutional deadlines. The new National Assembly must be established within 30 days of the final results being announced. A government must then be formed within 90 days of that date. The Student List’s clear majority eliminates the need for prolonged coalition negotiations. Meanwhile, Ana Brnabic, the president of the National Assembly, holds the presidency temporarily following Vucic’s resignation on September 27.

Brnabic is required to call for an extraordinary presidential election. This vote must occur no later than three months after the end of Vucic’s mandate, setting a deadline of December 27. The Serbian president is elected directly by citizens rather than by parliamentary representatives, though the role is largely ceremonial. The next step in the process is the official announcement of final results and the convening of the new parliament.