Novi Sad deaths force Serbia's leader into tight race

Serbians cast ballots on Sunday in a parliamentary contest that pits a single long-serving leader against a collective student movement. Analysts predict a narrow result, though reliable polling data remains scarce. The outcome will determine whether Aleksandar Vučić, who has held top office since 2012, remains in power or yields to a group formed from anti-corruption protests.

The Student List emerged after two years of demonstrations. The protests began after 16 people died when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia's second largest city. Student assemblies at university faculties selected 250 candidates. Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor at Novi Sad University, tops the list. He arrived for an interview on a motorbike wearing a fluorescent yellow jacket. He said, "It is absolutely normal to stand with my students to help them in their fair struggle."

The movement has no formal hierarchy. Srdanović is not the group leader and may not be the first choice for prime minister if the list wins. The other candidates include academics, athletes, economists, and engineers, none of whom have prior political experience. A student at Novi Sad University, who identified herself only as Aleksandra, described the group as a strength. She said, "We've gathered people who are actually the best in their fields."

Vučić stepped down as president last month to run for prime minister in the snap election. He cites economic growth and infrastructure improvements over the past decade as his record. He has described the student movement as foreign-backed and bent on trying to "bring down our state." The Student List and its supporters argue that Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party dominates state institutions and media.

After the 2023 parliamentary vote, the International Election Observation Mission noted an "overwhelming ruling party advantage" caused by media bias and misuse of public resources. The BBC approached leading party figures for comment but received no response. For 18 months, a pro-government camp has occupied a small park in central Belgrade, and its residents have repeatedly attacked journalists. Vučić has called the camp "a symbol of resistance."

The Novi Sad disaster complicates Vučić's position. The station renovation was part of his flagship Belgrade to Budapest high-speed rail project. Magda Anastasijevic, an Eastern Europe analyst at ACLED, said Vučić had survived past crises by finding a scapegoat. She added, "This was not the case for the canopy." Foreign policy has also entered the campaign, with Vučić warning that close ties with Russia and China could be lost under a Student List government.

Closing rallies highlighted the contrast between the two sides. The ruling party filled Belgrade Arena with Vučić as the only speaker. A reported 150,000 people gathered in Slavija Square to hear students and candidates. Voters face a choice between a single strong leader and a collective approach.