Serbia w przedterminowych wyborach parlamentarnych. Studencka lista wyzwaniem dla rządów Vučicia

In brief

• Serbian citizens are voting in early parliamentary elections following nearly two years of mass protests.
• The contest pits Aleksandar Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party against a Student List backed by young people.
• The election was called after Vucic dissolved parliament in September, despite it being scheduled to run until December 2027.
• The election is seen as a major test for Vucic's 14-year political dominance.

Snap Vote After Two Years of Protests

Serbian voters went to the polls on Sunday to choose 250 members of the National Assembly, the nation's single-chamber parliament (Przedterminowe wybory u stronnika Rosji. Wyniki mogą okazać się przełomem – Polsat News). The election was called early after nearly two years of demonstrations that began in November 2024, when a section of the railway station roof in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people (Сербія обирає між Вучичем і студентами: чи завершаться 14 років правління його партії – Espreso). Demonstrators blamed the disaster on negligence and corruption, and holding elections became a central demand of the protests (V parlamentných voľby v Srbsku sa po rozsiahlych protestoch očakáva vysoká účasť – Aktuality.sk).

A Race That Could Reshape the Political Landscape

Eighteen electoral lists are competing, but the contest has effectively narrowed to a battle between Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party, which nominated him for prime minister, and the Student List, which is backed by young people nationwide (Вучич проти студентів: у Сербії почалися найнапруженіші за останні роки вибори – Європейська правда). Pre-election polls gave different results. A survey by Ipsos put the Progressive Party at 47 percent and the students at 40 percent, while other polls showed the Student List ahead. Many smaller parties face difficulty clearing the 3 percent threshold needed to enter parliament.

Reasons for the Early Election

Parliament was scheduled to sit until December 2027, but Vucic dissolved it in September and set the vote for October 25. Analysts link the timing to constitutional limits that bar him from seeking a third presidential term, since his second term ends in 2027. Vucic stepped down as president at the end of September and took the top spot on his party's list, positioning himself for the prime minister role. His political ally Ana Brnabic, who serves as parliament speaker, has become acting head of state.

Voter Turnout and Next Steps

About 6.5 million citizens are eligible to vote at more than 8,000 polling stations, with voting hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.. Queues formed early in Belgrade and Novi Sad. Voting was also open to Serbians living abroad, with just over 100,000 registered voters taking part. High turnout is expected. The final result will determine whether the Progressive Party can keep its lead and form a government, a decision that will shape the direction of Serbia's political system.