Serbia has recorded a sharp rise in voter participation during its parliamentary election, as a student-backed opposition movement seeks to challenge the dominance of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Preliminary figures indicated that about 46% of registered voters had cast their ballots by 14:00 local time on Sunday, October 25, according to early election reports. The turnout was significantly higher than at the same stage of the December 2023 parliamentary election.
The vote follows nearly two years of student-led demonstrations sparked by the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in the northern city of Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. The tragedy fuelled public anger and allegations of corruption and negligence, prompting demands for accountability and political reform.
The student-backed Student List movement is seeking to translate the protests into electoral support. Its platform includes tackling corruption, removing officials accused of misconduct, preventing political loyalists from controlling public enterprises and reducing political influence over the public broadcaster.
The movement is challenging the political establishment associated with Aleksandar Vučić, whose Serbian Progressive Party has dominated the country’s politics since 2012.
Vučić and his party deny allegations of corruption and attempts to influence the media. The election is therefore being closely watched as voters decide between the governing party and a movement promising changes to public institutions and accountability.
The high turnout has raised expectations among opposition supporters, although participation figures alone do not establish which side will win. The final outcome will depend on the votes cast across the country and the official counting process.
