Serbia’s student led political movement has officially entered the country’s election campaign, holding its first major rally in Novi Sad ahead of the October 25 parliamentary elections. The gathering, held outside the Serbian National Theatre, marked a significant transition for a movement that began with protests and university blockades and is now attempting to turn its demands into electoral action. Several candidates were presented at the rally under the slogan “Students Win.”
The choice of Novi Sad for the campaign’s opening carried particular political significance. The city has been at the center of the student movement since the November 2024 collapse of part of the Novi Sad railway station, which killed 16 people and triggered nationwide demonstrations. Protesters have repeatedly demanded greater accountability and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the disaster, making the tragedy one of the defining issues of the political movement.
Speaking at the rally, student Vukasin Djinovic recalled the railway station disaster and the events that brought students and supporters into the streets. The student movement has argued that the lack of a satisfactory resolution to the case reflects wider problems involving accountability, corruption and the functioning of state institutions. The issue has remained a major source of public anger nearly two years after the collapse.
Serbia Student Movement Enters the Election Arena
The campaign launch came just one day after the student movement formally established the citizens’ group “Student List – Students Win.” According to local reports, the group was registered with 14 founding signatories, giving the previously informal movement a formal structure for the first time. The list is expected to contain roughly 250 candidates, corresponding to the number of seats in Serbia’s National Assembly.
The candidates introduced in Novi Sad also showed that the list is intended to reach beyond university campuses. Among those presented were representatives connected with the judiciary, university professors, political scientists and an actor. Other members of the broader candidate group reportedly include people from professional and social backgrounds outside politics, reflecting the movement’s attempt to present itself as a citizens’ platform rather than a conventional political party.
The student movement’s decision to participate in elections represents a major change from its earlier strategy. For much of the past two years, students organized demonstrations, university blockades and public campaigns while avoiding becoming a traditional political organization. Now, the movement faces the considerably more difficult task of converting public support for its protest demands into votes, candidates and a functioning parliamentary bloc.
The political stakes became even higher after President Aleksandar Vučić dissolved parliament and officially called early parliamentary elections for October 25. The vote was originally not expected until later, but prolonged political tensions and the continuing student-led protests have brought the election forward. Vučić has said that the country needs an election to establish a clearer political direction, while critics view the vote as a test of his government after months of demonstrations.
Vučić has remained Serbia’s dominant political figure for more than a decade, serving as either president or prime minister since 2014. His Serbian Progressive Party remains the strongest established political force in the country, but the student movement has emerged as a significant challenge. Vučić has also been nominated by his party as its candidate for prime minister, meaning the parliamentary election could determine not only the composition of parliament but also his next political role.
Novi Sad Railway Station Disaster Remains Central Issue
The railway station case continues to influence the political debate. In August, prosecutors in Novi Sad indicted 13 people in connection with the collapse, although the legal process has faced significant procedural obstacles. Earlier attempts to confirm an indictment were rejected, delaying the start of a trial. For the student movement, the slow progress of the case has reinforced its argument that political and institutional accountability remains unresolved.
The election will therefore be about more than competing party program. For the students and their supporters, it is an opportunity to move their demands for accountability, institutional reform and greater political responsibility from the streets into parliament. For the ruling establishment, the election represents an opportunity to demonstrate that it continues to command sufficient public support despite the sustained protests.
The coming weeks are likely to be a major test for the student movement. It must maintain the broad coalition that supported the protests while introducing candidates capable of competing in a national election. At the same time, it will have to campaign across Serbia and convince voters who may support the movement’s demands but remain uncertain about replacing established political parties with a new electoral force.
The first rally in Novi Sad nevertheless marks an important turning point. A movement born from public outrage over a deadly infrastructure disaster has now formally entered the electoral arena, placing its future directly before voters. With the October 25 election approaching, Serbia faces a contest that could determine whether the student movement remains primarily a protest force or becomes a lasting part of the country’s political system.
