Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic faces opposition from university students

Serbia’s Longtime Leader Concedes Defeat in Parliamentary Elections

Aleksandar Vucic, who has been Serbia’s leader for over a decade, has conceded defeat to a student-led protest movement in Sunday’s parliamentary elections. The Student List, which emerged after the 2024 train station collapse in Novi Sad, won 135-140 seats in the 250-member parliament, surpassing the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) electoral list.

The election saw a high voter turnout of over 30 years, with many university professors, doctors, and workers participating. The Student List’s platform focused on tackling corruption, depoliticizing public institutions, and restoring citizens’ rights.

Vucic, who has been in politics since 1993, initially joined the Serbian Radical Party before co-founding the SNS in 2008. He served as prime minister from 2014 to 2017 and later became president of Serbia, winning re-election in 2022. However, he resigned in September under pressure from student-led protests and called early elections.

The Student List’s leader, Ilija Srdanovic, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, led the movement against Vucic’s government. The protests began after the train station collapse on November 1, 2024, and grew into a broader wave of social unrest.

Vucic referred to the protesters as “blockaders” during the election campaign, accusing them of seeking to destabilize Serbia. His political record has been marked by nationalist rhetoric, including a statement in 1995 that sparked controversy.

The results of the election will determine Vucic’s legacy and the future of Serbian politics.

Source: Al Jazeera