High turnout in Serbia as student movement takes on Vucic at the polls

A snap parliamentary election is an early vote held before the usual parliamentary timetable. It can give voters a fresh choice and determine which parties control parliament. That matters because parliament’s balance usually decides who can form a government.

In Serbia, Vucic called the election in September. The vote follows nearly two years of demonstrations against perceived corruption and creeping authoritarianism. The protests began after a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people in 2024.

The election lets the student-led movement move from street protests to electoral politics. It has fielded 250 candidates and seeks changes including stronger action against corruption and improvements in education. The result could either reinforce Vucic’s political dominance or force a new government to be negotiated.

Turnout measures how many eligible voters have cast ballots. A high early turnout can signal strong public interest, especially in a closely fought election. It does not itself determine the winner, but it shows that many people considered this vote important.

By 11am, turnout had reached 27.3 percent, according to CeSID and Ipsos. That was nearly twice the 15.1 percent recorded at the same point in the previous election in 2023. Polling stations also reported unusually long queues across Serbian cities and towns.

Even Vucic waited nearly two hours to vote. Stations were due to close at 8pm, with initial results expected about two hours later. The high early participation suggested a potentially record turnout for Serbia’s recent history, according to Ilija Srdanovic, who headed the student-backed list.

The movement began as student protests but later attracted broad public support. It is challenging Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party after nearly two years of demonstrations. The movement’s election campaign turns demands made in the streets into a bid for parliamentary power.

It submitted a list of 250 largely unknown candidates. They include university professors, actors and farmers. Cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic heads the list, although the movement has not made clear who would become prime minister if it wins. Its campaign focuses on rooting out corruption and improving education.

The movement has said less about international priorities. Its electoral breakthrough depends on how many seats its list wins and whether it can work with other parties. A strong result could make it central to forming a government, while a weaker result might leave Vucic’s party in control.

The immediate spark was the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad in 2024. Sixteen people died. Students then began protesting, demanding accountability and expressing broader anger about how Serbia was being governed.

The demonstrations grew beyond a single disaster. They drew widespread support and became some of Serbia’s largest protests in a generation. Protesters demanded Vucic’s departure, while rights groups and activists said repression intensified during the unrest. The movement therefore connected the tragedy with concerns about corruption and democratic rules.

That wider agenda turned the protests into an electoral challenge. Students created a candidate list rather than remaining only in the streets. Vucic and his party deny accusations of corruption and repression, and Vucic accused the students of foreign funding. The movement dismissed that allegation.

Parliamentary seats determine which political forces can command enough support to form a government. If the student-backed list wins a majority, it could try to form the government itself. If it falls short, it would need agreements with other parties or independent lawmakers.

The movement has fielded 250 candidates, led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. However, the article says it remains unclear who would become prime minister if the movement wins. This means winning seats would be only the first step; negotiations and a governing plan would still matter.

A strong result could remove Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party from government or make it dependent on partners. A smaller result could leave Vucic’s party in control if it wins enough seats or builds a coalition. The article does not provide the final seat totals or identify any likely coalition partners.

Vucic remains popular because some voters connect his rule with visible economic development and modernisation. The article specifically mentions motorways, railways, schools and hospitals. These projects give supporters a practical reason to back him despite accusations from protesters and rights groups.

His campaign also promised higher pensions and public sector salaries, along with further investment in state healthcare. Hatidza, a Roma voter, said she supported Vucic because she believed he could bring peace and work for children and young people. Such priorities can outweigh political criticism for some voters.

Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party deny accusations of repression, corruption and spying on opponents. Vucic also presents himself as a defender of Serbia against forces he says want to destroy it. The close polling suggests his support remains substantial, even as the student movement challenges him.

A parliamentary election converts votes into seats in the legislature. Voters choose party lists or candidates, and the electoral system allocates seats according to each group’s share of the vote. The exact formula and threshold vary by country; the article does not give Serbia’s detailed rules.

The key mechanism is parliamentary support. A party winning enough seats can normally form a government. If no party has enough seats alone, parties may negotiate a coalition. The group or coalition able to command parliamentary backing can support a government and its prime minister.

Applied to Serbia, the student-backed list would need a strong seat total or partners to challenge Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party. Its success would therefore depend not only on its vote share, but also on possible agreements after the election. The article says the movement’s prime minister remains unclear.