Polls have closed in Serbia’s snap parliamentary election, which recorded the highest voter turnout in decades, as a student-backed movement sought to unseat longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic. Voting concluded on Sunday evening, with initial results anticipated hours later. This election was pivotal in determining whether Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), in power since 2012, would retain its majority against a burgeoning movement that originated from nationwide anti-corruption protests.

The State Election Commission reported that voter turnout reached 64.9 percent by 17:00 GMT, marking the highest participation rate since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. While this surge in turnout does not definitively indicate which political bloc gained support, it signifies significant public engagement.

Reports of intimidation and procedural issues marred the voting process. The Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), an independent election watchdog, documented pressure on voters or election workers at nearly a third of the 500 monitored polling stations, alongside failures to ensure ballot secrecy. Similarly, the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) received approximately 260 reports of potential irregularities, including ballot photography and issues with voter identification.

The student-led movement, known as The Student List – Students Win, emerged from protests that began after a tragic accident in Novi Sad in November 2024. Initially demanding accountability for the collapse of a railway station canopy that killed 16 people, the movement broadened its scope to challenge alleged government corruption and repression, claims denied by Vucic and the SNS.

The Student List – Students Win is fielding candidates from various professional backgrounds, including medicine and education, many of whom are new to politics. Their campaign focuses on strengthening institutions and combating corruption. Several established opposition parties have lent their support to the students, choosing not to field their own candidates.

In Belgrade, a visible police presence with riot gear was deployed near the election commission's headquarters, where roads were closed and barricades erected. City prosecutors issued an appeal for all parties involved in the election to refrain from violence.

This election represents a significant challenge to Vucic's prolonged tenure. The SNS has been the dominant political force in Serbia since 2012, shaping the country's political landscape for over a decade. The emergence of a youth-driven movement, amplified by social media, signals a potential shift in the political dynamics.

Analysts will be closely watching the final results to understand the impact of the heightened turnout and the effectiveness of the student movement's campaign against the entrenched power of the Serbian Progressive Party. Unresolved questions remain regarding the full extent of the reported irregularities and their potential influence on the election outcome.