Serbia votes on Sunday in snap parliamentary elections that pit long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic against a mass student protest movement seeking to end 14 years of rule by his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
The election, called by Vucic in September, comes after almost two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and creeping authoritarianism — a movement triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in the city of Novi Sad in 2024.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT), with the first indications of results expected around two hours later. Opinion polls predict a tight race.
From the streets to the ballot box
The students have moved their protests to the ballot box, aiming to unseat a leader who has held power first as prime minister and then as president for more than a decade. Vucic resigned as president on September 27 to run again for prime minister for the SNS.
A student victory would be a profound political shift in the Balkan country of some 6 million people, reminiscent of the defeat of Hungary's Viktor Orban in April. It could also offer a blueprint for other student movements across Europe, which have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest, in some cases violently, against poor education standards and a lack of prospects.
The election is unfolding under allegations of irregularities and unfair conditions, with the students seeking to end a system they say has concentrated power in the hands of one party for a decade and a half.
Vucic the strong incumbent
But Vucic remains a strong incumbent. Many voters thank him for pulling Serbia from economic obscurity and orchestrating a period of sustained modernisation, including new highways, railways, schools and hospitals.
Domestically, Vucic has pledged higher pensions and public sector salaries, investment in state healthcare and subsidies for young couples. On the international stage, he has balanced closer ties with China, a major investor, and Russia, Serbia's traditional ally and principal supplier of natural gas, while leaving the door open to joining the European Union.
What is at stake
The vote is being watched closely beyond Serbia's borders. The outcome will shape the country's direction on Europe, its relationship with Moscow and Beijing, and whether a protest movement born in the streets can translate its energy into power at the ballot box.
For the students, the election is the culmination of nearly two years of sustained pressure that began with a single tragedy in Novi Sad and grew into the largest challenge Vucic has faced in his time in power. For Vucic, it is a test of whether his record of modernisation and his promises of higher living standards still outweigh the anger over corruption and democratic backsliding that has filled Serbia's squares since 2024.