Student List sets 90-day timer for Serbian government

Serbia’s political center of gravity has shifted entirely to a student-led coalition that now controls a majority of the National Assembly. The group, known as the Student List, secured 141 of the 250 available seats following the Sunday vote. This result places them in a position to draft a new administration within a strict legal window.

The movement’s ascent began after a canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station killed 16 people, sparking two years of sustained protests against the incumbent regime. Aleksandar Vučić, who had led the country for 14 years, conceded defeat late on Sunday. He attributed his loss to foreign interference, specifically citing support from European nations and the United States.

Projections from the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy in Belgrade show the Student List capturing 53% of the vote. The Serbian Progressive party, led by Vučić, retained 39% of the vote and 103 seats. Remaining seats went to national minority lists. The Student List deliberately operates without a formal hierarchy, meaning no single figure stands out as the clear leader of the coalition.

Prominent figures associated with the group include Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist who headed the candidate list, Dejan Šoškić, a former central bank governor, and Radomir Saičić, a chemistry professor at Belgrade University. Saičić addressed the public after the victory. Ana Mirković, a university educationist and candidate, stated that the group views the win not as a gain in privilege but as a debt to the Serbian people.

The coalition’s platform focuses on dismantling what Mirković called a system of intimidation. Key proposals include creating an independent police unit accountable to prosecutors, purging police officers linked to organized crime, and banning party loyalists from state-owned companies. The group also plans to establish new independent bodies to scrutinize major state infrastructure contracts to curb the misuse of public funds.

The new government faces the challenge of managing state institutions still staffed by civil servants loyal to the outgoing regime. Nikola Burazer, programme director at the Belgrade-based Centre for Contemporary Politics, noted that the movement’s decision-making process needs acceleration. He observed that the candidate selection process took months and that the focus will soon shift from celebration to the practical task of forming a cabinet.

International leaders reacted quickly to the result. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the event as a new chapter in the country’s history. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Berlin would actively support Serbia’s path toward Europe. The Kremlin expressed hope that the new leaders would understand that cooperation with Russia remains in Serbia’s interests.

Serbia’s constitution requires the new parliament to convene within 30 days of the official election result. A 90-day deadline then begins for the formation of the new government. The country must also hold new presidential elections before December 27, as Vučić stepped down from the presidency to run for prime minister.