Belgrade students walk days to capital as Serbia votes Sunday

Serbia heads to a parliamentary election on Sunday that marks the first genuinely competitive contest in fourteen years. The vote follows a year of unrest and a final campaign rally in Belgrade where thousands gathered to support the Student List, a coalition formed by student activists protesting the government for nearly two years.

The timeline of this political shift began in November 2024. A concrete canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. Students used that disaster to symbolize institutional failure and corruption. Over the following months, they organized protests and built a political movement aimed at crossing traditional ideological and foreign policy divisions.

By Thursday evening, the campaign had reached its peak. Many attendees at the Belgrade rally had walked for days from across the country to show solidarity. Arsa Stojanovic, a biology student, told the crowd that the group had crossed Serbia from end to end and learned they could count on the public. Aleksandar Cupic, a candidate and transport engineering professor, said the atmosphere smelled like freedom. The event concluded with a kolo, a traditional circle dance.

Polls indicate the Student List could secure more than 40% of the vote, a figure that would challenge the Serbian Progressive Party, known as SNS. Political scientist Dusan Spasojevic noted that these are the first elections since 2012 with an uncertain outcome. The SNS held its own closing rally a few kilometers away. Former President Aleksandar Vucic argued that his party offers stability and prosperity, while opponents serve foreign interests and risk chaos.

The campaign period was marked by tension. The independent monitoring group CRTA recorded 116 incidents of physical violence or verbal threats by the final week. These included attacks on campaigners and attempts to seize banners. CRTA reported that opposition activists faced surveillance and police questioning. The group stated that the campaign was not free or fair, noting that government representatives received nearly three quarters of national television airtime. More than 80% of coverage regarding the Student List was negative. Anonymous sources told Deutsche Welle that voters were sometimes offered between €30 and €150, or holiday packages, to support the SNS.

Authorities have warned of potential street violence after the vote, alleging foreign intelligence involvement. Several people have been arrested on suspicion of plotting disturbances. Spasojevic warned that a narrow victory for the SNS would likely be contested. The movement has vowed to defend every vote. An EU Commission spokesperson told Deutsche Welle that key recommendations on the electoral framework remain unimplemented. Serbia has held EU candidate status since 2012.