Serbia’s new parliament will hold its first session on November 17, following a historic election in which a student-led movement secured a parliamentary majority and ended the long-standing dominance of President Aleksandar Vučić‘s political bloc.
Outgoing parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabić announced the date on November 8, confirming that lawmakers will meet in Belgrade at 10 a.m. local time.
The Students’ List won 140 of the 250 seats in Serbia’s National Assembly in the October 25 parliamentary election, according to the country’s Republic Electoral Commission.
The electoral list associated with Vučić secured 103 seats, while parties representing national minorities won the remaining seven.
The results give the student-led movement enough seats to form a parliamentary majority without relying on coalition partners.
What Happens at Serbia’s First Parliamentary Session?
Brnabić said the opening session will include six agenda items, beginning with confirmation of the newly elected lawmakers’ mandates.
Parliament will then elect its speaker and deputy speakers, appoint a secretary general and establish parliamentary committees.
Lawmakers will also select members of permanent delegations to international institutions.
Until parliament elects a new speaker, its oldest member, Professor Stojan Radenović, will preside over the session.
The meeting will formally establish Serbia’s 15th parliamentary convocation.
After the new assembly is constituted, the constitutional process for forming a government will begin. A new government must be elected within 90 days.
Brnabić also called for continued live television broadcasts of parliamentary proceedings, emphasizing the importance of public access to legislative debates.
However, political disagreements have already emerged over preparations for the transition.
Brnabić claimed that representatives of the Students’ List had not contacted parliamentary officials to discuss leadership positions and committee assignments.
The student movement responded that it was ready for the session and had already prepared its proposed candidates.
No final agreement on parliamentary leadership has been announced.
Student Protests Reshape Serbia’s Political Landscape
The election followed nearly two years of student-led demonstrations that began after a deadly railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024.
Sixteen people died in the disaster, which triggered widespread protests and demands for accountability.
Demonstrators accused authorities of corruption and inadequate oversight of public infrastructure projects. Government officials rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
The protests gradually developed into a broader political movement, bringing together students, university professors, educators and other professionals.
Many of the movement’s newly elected lawmakers have limited previous experience in national politics.
During the election campaign, the Students’ List promised to strengthen the rule of law, increase institutional transparency and address corruption.
Its victory represents a major change in Serbia’s political balance after 14 years of dominance by the Serbian Progressive Party and its allies.
However, the outgoing administration remains in office until the transition is completed.
Serbia also faces an early presidential election following Vučić’s resignation in September.
The political transition could influence the country’s relations with the European Union, Russia and China.
Serbia remains an official candidate for EU membership, although its accession process has faced significant obstacles in recent years.
For Serbian communities abroad, including the large diaspora in the United States and Canada, the parliamentary transition marks an important development in the country’s political future.
The November 17 session will be the first formal step toward establishing the new parliamentary leadership and beginning the process of forming Serbia’s next government.
