Serbia votes Sunday with 116 campaign incidents recorded

Independent monitoring group CRTA recorded 116 incidents of physical violence or verbal threats during Serbia’s parliamentary campaign. The count includes physical confrontations, attacks on campaigners, and attempts to seize campaign banners. The organization stated that the campaign was neither free nor fair, citing a narrowing of freedoms and deepening inequality.

Serbia goes to the polls on Sunday, October 25. Analysts describe the vote as the first competitive election in the 14 years since the Serbian Progressive Party, or SNS, took power. The contest marks a departure from previous elections under Aleksandar Vucic, who has led the country since 2012. Polls suggest the Student List could capture more than 40% of the vote, challenging the ruling party’s long-standing dominance.

The political momentum behind the Student List traces back to November 2024. A concrete canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. Students began protesting in response to what they viewed as institutional failure and corruption. The movement has since expanded its focus, seeking to bridge ideological and foreign-policy divisions that have historically fragmented Serbian politics.

In Belgrade on Thursday evening, thousands gathered for the Student List’s final rally. Many attendees had walked for days from across the country to the capital. Biology student Arsa Stojanovic told the crowd that the walkers had visited villages and neighborhoods and learned they could count on the people. Aleksandar Cupic, a transport engineering professor and candidate, said the moment “smells like freedom.” The event concluded with a traditional circle dance.

The SNS held its own closing rally nearby. The party’s message emphasized stability, continuity, and prosperity, arguing that a change in government risks chaos. Former President Vucic told supporters that opponents had tried to destroy the country on foreign orders and had attacked the party with billions of euros. The SNS portrays the election as a battle for Serbia’s future and sovereignty.

CRTA reported that nearly 75% of political airtime on national television went to government representatives. More than 80% of coverage regarding the Student List was negative. The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network published testimony from a former SNS member describing pressure on public-sector employees to deliver votes. Anonymous sources told DW that voters were offered between 30 and 150 euros, or family holiday packages, to support the SNS.

Authorities have warned for weeks that students are preparing street violence, allegedly aided by foreign intelligence services. Several people have been arrested on suspicion of plotting disturbances for election night. Political scientist Dusan Spasojevic noted that a narrow margin in the results is likely, which could lead to a post-election crisis. He added that a narrow SNS victory would almost certainly be contested, as the movement has vowed to defend every vote. An EU Commission spokesperson stressed that key recommendations on Serbia’s electoral framework remain unimplemented and that democracy and the rule of law are central to the accession process. Serbia has been an EU candidate country since 2012.