Serbian Leader Vucic Seeks Prime Minister Seat Amid Voter Roll Disputes

Aleksandar Vucic is running for the office of prime minister in Serbia's upcoming parliamentary election. He previously held this role from 2014 to 2017 but has dominated the country's political scene for fourteen years. Vucic stepped down as president in late September to avoid seeking a third term in that capacity. He now faces a contest against an opposition movement that grew out of widespread student protests.

The path to this election began with a tragedy in Novi Sad. On November 1, 2024, a renovated canopy at the city's railway station collapsed, killing sixteen people. The incident sparked nationwide demonstrations fueled by allegations of corruption at the construction site, which was led by Chinese businesses. The government denied wrongdoing, but police responded to the protests with force and arrests. A severe incident occurred on March 15, 2025, when authorities allegedly used a sonic weapon against peaceful demonstrators. Following another round of student protests in June, Vucic announced his resignation and the scheduling of early elections.

The campaign is currently defined by questions about the fairness of the vote. An investigation by RFE/RL's Balkan Service found that roughly 500,000 individuals are registered to vote without a complete address. Many of these records are missing street names or house numbers. The research also identified hundreds of voters listed at public facilities like social welfare centers, as well as at residential addresses that could not logically hold so many people. These findings echo suspicions from the 2023 election, where international observers reported irregularities, including voters being transported from neighboring Bosnia-Hercegovina.

The Serbian government claims it has implemented all recommendations from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or OSCE, following its criticism of the 2023 vote. However, an interim report from the OSCE contradicted this assertion. The organization has deployed 300 observers to Serbia for the current election. RFE/RL investigations also noted that the number of eligible voters in Bosnia and Kosovo increased ahead of the ballot. These regions are considered key sources of support for Vucic's Progressive Party among ethnic Serbs.

Current polling indicates the electorate is deeply divided between supporters of the ruling coalition and those backing the student movement. Vladimir Bilcik, a former European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, described the upcoming vote as the first in over a decade with a genuinely uncertain outcome. The student opposition does not have formal leaders, and their candidate list consists largely of nonpartisan figures, including university professors. The list is headed by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic, though the movement has clarified that his position does not guarantee a premiership if they win.

The political climate is further complicated by allegations of illegal surveillance. A statement from the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee on October 21 cited reports of illegal monitoring of opposition members. Research by the Serbian nonprofit SHARE and Toronto University researchers alleged that at least sixteen cases of the Pegasus surveillance software were used in 2026. This software is illegal in Serbia. While the opposition blames the authorities for the spying, government officials have denied targeting their political rivals.

International observers have noted a decline in freedoms in Serbia over the past decade. Some US lawmakers have warned that Moscow may play an active role in the election. Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally expressed support for Vucic ahead of the ballot. During the campaign, Vucic pledged to maintain his foreign policy course, including his refusal to follow EU calls for sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The student movement has focused on fighting corruption but has also reiterated support for Belgrade's stance of not recognizing Kosovo's independence.