Serbian Students Capture 140 Parliamentary Seats in Historic Vote

A student movement originating in Novi Sad won 140 of the 250 seats in the Serbian parliament on Sunday. The victory ended 14 years of continuous rule by the party of President Aleksandar Vučić. The election recorded the highest voter turnout in the country since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992, with more than 50% of eligible voters casting ballots in favor of the student candidates.

The political bloc formed after a roof collapse at the main railway station in Novi Sad killed several people. Students in the city held near-daily protests demanding accountability, a campaign that spread nationwide despite police use of batons and teargas. The movement first gained international attention in April 2025 when dozens of members cycled more than 1,300 kilometers to Strasbourg, France, in 13 days. They delivered an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron stating, "We are not riding toward Europe to flee Serbia. We are riding to bring it back."

The new parliament includes candidates ranging from academics to athletes, all selected through student assemblies. Aleksandar Matković, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the movement, noted that strategic discussions sometimes lasted six hours. He wrote that the world may be witnessing the start of a very different kind of politics. The group operates without a single leader or traditional hierarchy, a structure that complicates governance but distinguishes it from previous parties.

Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in streets across the country to celebrate the result. Sara, a 24-year-old supporter, told The Guardian that it was strange to stand on the same streets where police had previously beaten them. She added, "We are now standing here as the victors." Hours after the celebrations began, supporters returned to clean up the public spaces.

The movement’s 11-point program focuses on tackling corruption, reforming the judiciary and media, and improving healthcare access. A member of the group described the top priority as the social and psychological detoxification of the country. They expressed hope for normal, functioning institutions rather than overnight miracles. The platform also promises a referendum on Serbia’s future membership in the European Union, a process that has stalled since the country applied in 2009.

European officials responded quickly to the outcome. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen stated the EU is ready to support reforms regarding the rule of law, media freedom, and corruption. Enlargement commissioner Marta Kos wrote that the door to the EU is open and that a new chapter can begin for Serbia. The result follows weeks of protests across Europe, from Porto to Milan, driven by younger generations who feel the social contract has broken down.

Vučić's party spent more than a decade tightening its hold on media and filling institutions with loyalists. The student candidates faced detentions on trumped-up evidence, illegal surveillance, threats, and job losses during the nearly two years of protests leading to the election. The new government now faces the task of rebuilding state bodies that were used as political tools for over a decade.