Serbia Parliament: Student List wins 52.54 percent of vote

The Student List has won the Serbian parliamentary election held on Sunday, ending the political dominance of Aleksandar Vucic. The movement, formed from youth protests in 2024, secured a clear majority in the 250-seat National Assembly. This result concludes a campaign driven by demands for accountability after the death of 16 people in a railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad.

The Republic Election Commission announced on Monday that the Student List captured 52.54 percent of the vote. This data reflects 8,077 processed polling stations out of a total 8,392. The United Serbia list, led by Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party, received 39.29 percent of ballots. Voter turnout reached 68.78 percent, marking the highest rate recorded in over three decades.

The Student List is projected to win 140 seats, surpassing the 126 mandates required for a legislative majority. United Serbia is expected to hold 103 seats. The remaining 7 seats are allocated to minority and regional lists. The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians is set to take three seats. The Albanian political bloc will receive two seats. The Rasim Ljajc-Ljudski and SDA Sandzak lists will each secure one seat.

Ilija Srdanovic, a cardiologist and professor at the University of Novi Sad, led the movement during the campaign. He is now viewed as the most likely candidate for prime minister. The Student List did not formally name a candidate before the vote, preferring to emphasize the collective nature of the group. Members of the bloc include academics, doctors, and workers. It remains undecided who will lead the ministries of internal affairs, finance, and justice.

The new National Assembly must be established within 30 days of the final results announcement. A government must be formed within 90 days of that establishment. The Student List's strong majority reduces the need for extensive coalition negotiations. This timeline is distinct from the previous era, which often involved complex bargaining between competing parties.

Ana Brnabic, the president of the National Assembly, currently holds the presidency in a temporary capacity. She assumed this role after Vucic resigned on September 27. Brnabic is required to call for an extraordinary presidential election. This vote must take place no later than December 27, three months after the end of Vucic's mandate. The president is elected directly by citizens but holds a largely ceremonial office.

The Student List outlined its priorities in an electoral programme released in September. The document listed the fight against corruption and organized crime as top objectives. The party also pledged to raise living standards, boost employment, and improve the education sector. The movement stated it aims to ensure media freedom and the independence of state institutions. It also committed to improving relations with neighboring countries after a period of tension during Vucic's rule.

Vucic has led Serbian politics since 2014, serving first as prime minister and later as president. His resignation from the presidency followed his decision to call for the snap parliamentary vote last month. The Student List's victory marks a shift from his long tenure. The final election results are pending, but current figures confirm the bloc's ability to govern independently.