Serbia votes as student-led opposition seeks to end Vucic’s rule

After two years of student-led, anti-corruption protests, Serbia is holding an early parliamentary election that could break long-time populist leader Aleksandar Vucic’s grip on the Balkan country.

Voting began in Serbia on Sunday with a mass student protest movement that has gripped the Balkan country for two years seeking to end the rule of long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic and his party.

Polls suggest a tight race between Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the newly formed, youth-backed Students’ List.

The vote comes after almost two years of student-led protests following the deadly collapse of a train station canopy in the city of Novi ‌Sad in 2024.

Demonstrations demanding accountability have since snowballed into Serbia’s largest movement since the fall of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

Vucic faces tough election challenge

After calling snap elections last month, Vucic, who has dominated Serbian politics for more than a decade, stepped down as president to run for prime minister.

The Students’ List is aiming to end 14 years of rule by Vucic’s right-wing populist SNS in Sunday’s vote.

The student movement hopes to replicate Peter Magyar’s victory in Hungary in April, when he defeated Vucic’s ally, Viktor Orban.

Polling stations close at 8 p.m. local time (1900 GMT).

Edited by: Natalie Muller

DW News