Election victory of the student list: Serbia is entering new political territory

Absolute majority for the student list: In Serbia, it surprisingly won the parliamentary election. But how can a protest movement become a government? A lot is unclear - and the A

Change of power in Serbia Uncharted political territory As of: October 26, 2026 • 9:36 p.m

Absolute majority for the student list: In Serbia, it surprisingly won the parliamentary election. But how can a protest movement become a government? A lot is unclear - and the tasks are big.

In Serbia, the student list won the parliamentary election unexpectedly and clearly: the opposition, which emerged from a broad protest movement, even achieved an absolute majority with a good 53 percent of the vote, according to preliminary information from the electoral commission. Long-time ruler Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) got a good 39 percent.

Vucic admitted his defeat that night - surprisingly quickly for many observers. “Everyone expected a long night, possibly days, of back and forth,” says Florian Bieber, professor of Southeast European politics and history at the University of Graz. But the clear result left Vucic no other choice: "It was clear that he would no longer have been able to falsify the result even with all the options he had to manipulate the election," explains the Serbia expert.

The opposition student list won the election, Vucic said in a speech in Belgrade. more

The way seems clear for a change of power in Serbia. The student list can form a government on its own and is expected to send 140 representatives to parliament. There were almost no students on their electoral list - only experts who were chosen based on grassroots democracy.

Despite the clear election victory, a lot remains open. The biggest question mark: Who will now be head of government? The list leader, Ilija Srdanovic, is not automatically considered a candidate for the prime ministership. Who will be prime minister and who will be which minister will only be decided in the coming days.

Serbia is facing a change of power after early parliamentary elections Andreas Herz, ARD Vienna, currently Belgrade, tagesschau, Das Erste, October 26, 2026 • 8:00 p.m. "Institutions under the control of Vucic's people" According to Southeast Europe expert Bieber, this is an exciting experiment - but not without risk. "It was clever until Sunday evening. Of course that's different now. Now they have to go public. Now they also have to be more transparent." A broad movement could overthrow a government - but not govern it, said Bieber.

There are major tasks ahead: "The judiciary, the public prosecutor's office, all institutions are under the control of Vucic's people," says the Serbia expert. Critics accuse Vucic of undermining democracy in Serbia and suppressing dissidents and independent media.

Serbian President Vucic is being challenged by a student movement in the parliamentary elections. more

Whether the student list can also govern is the “big open” question, says Vedran Dzihic from the Austrian Institute for International Politics in Vienna. In an interview with Tagesthemen he said: "Overthrowing the regime is one thing, setting up a new democratic beginning in Serbia is another question."

Dzihic sees “the contours of a political program” such as “freeing the judiciary from political influence” and fighting corruption. However, many questions have also been “excluded”, such as certain aspects of foreign policy, and many things still need to be “discussed”.

Vedran Dzihic, Austrian Institute for International Politics, on political developments in the Western Balkans tagesthemen, Das Erste, October 26, 2026 • 10:15 p.m. Expert: Vucic party a "difficult opposition" Peter Techet, political scientist from the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, also sees Serbia entering new political territory with the victory of the broad movement. "Given the heterogeneity of the students, the representatives and the electorate, it will be difficult to hold the camp together, especially since they are truly grassroots democratic." It will be interesting to see what role the students will play in government work in the future and whether new parties will emerge from the movement.

The expert also estimates that ex-President Vucic's party is likely to become a "difficult opposition" - especially since it is still deeply anchored in society, the economy and the "criminal underworld". According to Techet, the focus of the future government will likely be on dismantling the old authoritarian elite. Personnel changes are to be expected, as are criminal trials and the restoration of media freedom.

The protest movement that won the election arose after the collapse of a train station canopy in Serbia's second-largest city, Novi Sad, two years ago. At that time 16 people were killed. Critics attributed the disaster to corruption and sloppiness in the Vucic government. The subsequent student protests mobilized broad sections of the Serbian population. The demonstrations developed into a movement against the government and widespread corruption in the country.

The emergency services used tear gas and batons against the demonstrators. more

Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership for almost 15 years - but the course of the previous Serbian leadership has recently largely stagnated the process. Political scientist Techet believes that the new rulers will not be “a comfortable partner for Brussels.” A significant part of their electorate is skeptical about the EU.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos affirmed the desire for Serbia to become a member - and declared that there was now "a chance for more unity and social cohesion in the country." It is up to the future government to “work on a strategic orientation towards the EU”.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is ready to support Serbia in reforms in the areas of the rule of law, media freedom, fighting corruption and strengthening democratic institutions and to "work together to advance Serbia's future in the European Union."

Six Western Balkan countries in two and a half days: Foreign Minister Wadephul is on the road to get the faltering EU accession negotiations going. more

Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised the success of the student list. “She has reached the people with her demand for the rule of law, the fight against corruption and fundamental freedoms,” said the CDU politician in a statement on Platform X. At the same time, he assured that he would continue to support Serbia’s European path.

Government spokesman Sebastian Hille summarized once again: "The expectations of the student list at home and abroad are now high."

With information from Oliver Soos, ARD Studio Vienna and Thomas Spickhofen, ARD Studio Brussels