Can the student list reinvent democracy in Serbia?

Aleksandar Vucic, the long-time leader of Serbia, admitted defeat in the country’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, marking the end of fourteen years of rule by himself and his Serbian Progressive Party. The opposition Students’ List, a coalition emerging from a massive student protest movement, secured a decisive victory, winning between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament according to exit polls cited by Vucic. His party was projected to receive approximately 105 mandates. The result concludes a political standoff that began with the death of sixteen people when a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024. The election took place under conditions of high tension and record-breaking participation. Turnout reached its highest level in more than thirty years before polling stations closed. Vucic, who stepped down as president in September to run for prime minister, addressed supporters at his party headquarters in Belgrade. He stated that based on stratified samples, it was clear his side had lost. While acknowledging the result, he attributed the defeat to independent media coverage, interference from unnamed European nations, and what he termed the American deep state. Immediately following his concession, tens of thousands of citizens flooded the streets of Belgrade. Traffic came to a standstill as crowds filled the main boulevards, honking car horns and waving flares. At the headquarters of the Students’ List, supporters expressed relief and joy, with some crying and chanting slogans of victory. The political shift stems directly from the tragedy in Novi Sad, the second-largest city in Serbia. The station had been recently renovated and inaugurated as a prestige project by the government. Shortly after opening, the roof structure failed, killing sixteen individuals. Investigations revealed that despite a record budget, construction quality was poor and millions in tax money had vanished. This incident ignited widespread anger over systemic corruption and lack of accountability. What started as university student blockades and marches evolved into a broad-based civil society movement. For nearly two years, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in Belgrade and other cities, demanding early elections and an end to what protesters described as rampant corruption and authoritarian governance. Authorities rejected allegations of negligence, but public outrage continued to grow. The Students’ List presented itself as a fresh alternative to the established political elite. Unlike traditional parties, the list did not feature students among its official candidates. Instead, it fielded 250 representatives from various professional backgrounds, including lawyers, professors, doctors, actors, and farmers. This strategy aimed to create a non-partisan coalition capable of challenging Vucic’s personalized style of rule. The movement’s campaign focused on restoring the rule of law, ensuring press freedom, and eliminating corruption. They positioned their platform not just as a policy agenda, but as a defense of democratic values and social dignity. By avoiding politically sensitive divisive topics during the campaign, the group maintained internal unity and appealed to a wide demographic base. Critics of the outgoing government argued that Vucic had hollowed out democratic institutions during his tenure. Since assuming power in varying capacities starting in 2012, he controlled much of the media landscape, where political opponents were frequently defamed. Public sector employees reportedly faced pressure to vote for the ruling party, and hired thugs were used to intimidate dissenters. The new leadership faces the immediate task of forming a government and rebuilding trust in state institutions. Many of the incoming parliamentarians have no prior political experience, representing a significant generational and professional shift in Belgrade’s political establishment. Interest in the election extended beyond Serbia’s borders, particularly within the diaspora in Switzerland. Over four thousand registered voters traveled to consulates in Zurich and Bern to cast their ballots. Lines outside the Zurich consulate stretched half a kilometer at times, with some citizens waiting eight hours. Despite the high motivation, technical issues arose. Some registered voters, such as Ivana Heusser, initially found their names missing from the voting lists, causing confusion and frustration. The Serbian ambassador dismissed claims of systematic exclusion as fake news, insisting the allegations lacked factual basis. However, many in the diaspora viewed the election as a chance to restore functioning institutions and freedom of expression, citing the deterioration of the judicial system and press independence under the previous administration. The outcome signals a rejection of the political polarization and division that characterized the final years of Vucic’s rule. Protests had grown into the largest civic movement in Serbia since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. The new leaders now face the complex challenge of translating popular mandate into effective governance. They must navigate expectations for rapid reform while managing a fragmented political landscape where other parties failed to secure parliamentary representation. The focus now shifts to how this young, diverse coalition can sustain its momentum and implement structural changes in a country where the legacy of centralized power remains deeply entrenched.