--- title: "Serbia's Student-Led Protest Movement Secures Historic Victory over President Vucic's Party" url: https://newscentral.site/serbia-s-student-led-protest-movement-secures-historic-victory-over/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-10-26T21:49:17.000Z updated: 2026-10-26T23:00:56.550Z id: 1953e619-5572-40e5-9923-407cb5eed10d source: "France 24 English https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261026-serbia-elections-tracking-fraud-had-an-impact-on-results-vote-fraud" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/serbia-s-student-led-protest-movement-secures-historic-victory-over/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Serbia's Student-Led Protest Movement Secures Historic Victory over President Vucic's Party The student-led protest movement secured a historic victory in Serbia's parliamentary elections on Sunday, earning 52.45 percent of the vote and 138 seats in the National Assembly. Serbia's parliamentary elections on Sunday delivered a stunning upset as the student-led protest movement secured a historic victory over outgoing President Aleksandar Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). The Student List movement successfully challenged the SNS's 14-year dominance of Serbian politics, securing an impressive 52.45 percent of the vote and earning 138 seats in the National Assembly. The election outcome marked a significant turning point for Serbia as the student-led list secured more than twice the number of seats than its closest competitor, Aleksandar Vucic, United Serbia, which garnered only 39.2 percent of the vote and earned 103 seats in the National Assembly. Supporters of the Student List movement say that their massive mobilisation to fight electoral fraud played a crucial role in securing this historic victory. They argue that tracking and monitoring the electoral process helped prevent widespread voter manipulation. The student-led protest movement emerged after a devastating tragedy on November 1, 2024, which claimed the lives of 16 people and sparked nationwide protests against corruption. Initially non-partisan, the movement gained widespread public support before deciding to field its own electoral list in this year's parliamentary elections. The Student List opted not to run for office themselves but instead nominated highly qualified individuals with no prior political experience, selected through a democratic process organized within universities. The student movement's efforts to prevent electoral fraud bore fruit, according to a key figure involved in the process. When asked about the outcome of the election, he revealed that his team was initially expecting to win, but the announcement of the results caught them off guard. The counting process was still underway at the time, and emotions were running high as supporters erupted into cheers upon hearing the news. The student movement's vigilance paid off in several instances throughout the day. They reported numerous cases of potential electoral irregularities, including the discovery of parallel lists and carousel votes. These practices are often used to exert pressure on voters or manipulate voting records. Parallel lists refer to unofficial voter registries that can be used to falsify or alter election results. The student movement had been working tirelessly for over a year and a half to educate people about electoral fraud prevention, training thousands of individuals to become official controllers at polling stations. The high voter turnout in Serbia's recent elections was notable, with 69 percent casting their ballots compared to 55.5 percent in December 2023 parliamentary elections. This significant increase in participation is a positive sign for democratic engagement in the country. The electoral process was also marked by increased transparency and monitoring efforts. Volunteers from various groups, including "Bikers with Students, were deployed to polling stations to ensure a fair vote. Janko Sikosek, a member of this movement, joined these efforts as part of his team's mobile unit. Sikosek's experience on election day was marked by optimism and enthusiasm among voters. He noted that people were smiling at each other in line, indicating a sense of civic responsibility and engagement. The presence of volunteers like Sikosek's mobile team had a tangible impact on the electoral process. By observing and recording voting activities, they made it harder for any potential fraud to occur. Sikosek recounted one particularly intense incident involving a mobile team that discovered vote-buying operations in Ovca, north of Belgrade. The team faced resistance from SNS supporters, resulting in injuries to several members, including a broken arm and a head injury caused by a rock. Incidents of voter intimidation and harassment marred election day in Serbia as opposition supporters faced resistance from ruling party sympathizers. In addition to the Sikosek team's encounter, another group of masked men attacked Student List monitors in Pancevo using pyrotechnic devices, striking several individuals in the head. CRTA, a Serbian democracy watchdog, also reported an incident involving one of its observers who was harassed by a group of people in Zemur. The observer faced intimidation and hostility from individuals who opposed their presence at the polling station. Inside polling stations, tensions arose between controllers from the ruling party, SNS, and those supporting the opposition Student List. Marko, a student controller in Novi Sad, witnessed these disputes firsthand. He noted that SNS controllers attempted to block younger voters, claiming they didn't resemble their ID photos. The introduction of voting booths with curtains in this election has raised concerns among opposition supporters. They argue that this design increases the risk of ballot photography, which is reportedly being used by individuals who have been paid or pressured to support the ruling party. The monitoring of Serbia's recent elections by CRTA has revealed a concerning trend: nearly 50% of polled polling stations reported ballot photography. This practice is often linked to voters being paid or coerced into supporting the ruling party. CRTA's findings are supported by an investigation published in Balkan Insight, which gathered over 150 testimonies detailing pressure exerted on public sector employees to back the ruling party and participate in its rallies. Program director Rasa Nedeljkov of CRTA highlighted another disturbing issue: the presence of phantom fake lists on the ballot. Out of 18 lists, seven were essentially non-existent, allowing the ruling party to accumulate additional votes through electoral commissions at local and national levels. Furthermore, a spike in new voters was detected just before the election, with 14,100 individuals registering in the past 90 days. This raised suspicions about voter registration irregularities, particularly in areas with high concentrations of new voters and multiple registrations per address. CRTA's observations suggest that these issues may have been mitigated by an unusually high level of civic engagement. Many Serbian citizens took it upon themselves to monitor election rules at polling stations, filling the boards with well-prepared representatives for the first time. As a result, manipulation was allegedly prevented due to this increased citizen involvement in the electoral process. However, concerns remain about the integrity of the voting system and the potential impact of these irregularities on the outcome of the elections. The unexpected announcement of Vucic's defeat sparked euphoria among student list supporters, who had been worried about potential tensions and clashes with SNS supporters. Bikers with Students member Sikosek recounted the tense moments leading up to the announcement: When night fell, police were reinforcing the city center, and some incidents occurred. We feared that Vucic would claim victory, but instead he announced his defeat, catching us off guard. Student Botoski expressed optimism about the student list's future in parliament, stating that they will continue to monitor their elected representatives: We expect our representatives to act with care and dignity, working towards reforming institutions and eradicating corruption from this country." The grassroots movement built by Serbian students in under two years has achieved a remarkable feat, winning public support and ousting a 14-year ruling party through peaceful means. Now, the challenge for the students and their supporters lies ahead, the presidential elections scheduled for December 2026 will provide an opportunity to build on this momentum. --- Source: [France 24 English](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261026-serbia-elections-tracking-fraud-had-an-impact-on-results-vote-fraud) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/serbia-s-student-led-protest-movement-secures-historic-victory-over/