AP: Youth protesting in Serbia officially enter the election race against Vučić

The students behind nearly two years of anti-government protests in Serbia officially entered the election race on Monday ahead of the snap parliamentary elections, opposing populist President Aleksandar Vučić, the American agency AP reported this morning.

This youth movement submitted its electoral list to the state election authorities after a cheerful march through downtown Belgrade. Several thousand people joined the noisy gathering, applauding in support.

The elections scheduled for October 25 are seen as a major test for Vučić, whose Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has held power firmly since taking over the country 14 years ago. The elections will be held in an atmosphere of heightened political tensions, as the ruling populists seek to retain power despite widespread public dissatisfaction.

The protests were sparked by the tragedy at the railway station on November 1, 2024, in which 16 people died in northern Serbia. Students demanded accountability for the collapse of a concrete canopy in Novi Sad, claiming that corruption led to poorly executed reconstruction work on the building.

Almost daily demonstrations, which at times gathered hundreds of thousands of people, have shaken Vučić more than ever since his party came to power in 2012. Since 2014, Vučić has served as either Prime Minister or President of Serbia.

The students, who have been protesting for over a year, are demanding snap parliamentary elections, but Vučić apparently waited for a moment when he felt strong enough to enter the electoral race.

On Monday, Milica Popović told the crowd that she and her fellow students would show that “the law exists in Serbia and that justice is not a privilege of selected individuals.”

Vučić said he would resign as president on September 27 so he could lead his Serbian Progressive Party’s campaign and become prime minister if it wins.

He can no longer run for president because the Constitution of Serbia limits the mandate to two terms. The snap presidential elections will be held separately.

The list supported by students includes university professors, teachers, experts, and other individuals from various spheres of society.

On Monday, the gathered crowd in Belgrade chanted “Victory” before heading to the headquarters of the Republic Electoral Commission. Participants carried a huge banner reading “Students Win,” as well as a replica of the famous Belgrade monument “The Victor.”

On Monday, Vučić described his main opponents as “a list without a name, a list without a program, without plans, without anything.”

He said that a deliberate campaign of lies was being waged against his government, including allegations that authorities used sonic weapons against peaceful demonstrators during a large rally held last March in Belgrade.

Vučić’s SNS and its allies from the Socialist Party have already submitted their electoral lists. Several right-wing and centrist opposition parties will also participate in the elections.

Vučić reacted sharply to earlier protests, which sparked international concern over police violence and arbitrary detentions. He accused the students and their professors of intending to “destroy the state” under unnamed foreign influence.

Serbia’s process of joining the European Union has slowed during Vučić’s rule, as he maintains close ties with both Russia and China.

Previous elections in Serbia were accompanied by numerous irregularities and violence.