Early parliamentary elections are underway in Serbia: leaders have voted, a student candidate expects record turnout

Serbia's leaders cast their votes in the early parliamentary elections

Early parliamentary elections are being held in Serbia on Sunday, in which 250 deputies of the National Assembly are being elected. According to the Republican Electoral Commission, 6,451,292 voters are registered. 18 electoral lists with 2,418 candidates are competing for seats in parliament. Voting is taking place at 8,392 polling stations across the country under the observation of domestic and international observers; the polls opened at 7:00 a.m. local time and will close at 8:00 p.m. To secure a majority in parliament, a party or coalition must win at least 126 seats, Anadolu reports.

Vucic: accepting defeat and a choice between the future and the past

Former president Aleksandar Vucic, who leads the list of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), voted together with his wife Tamara Vucic at a polling station in New Belgrade. He expressed hope that the elections would pass peacefully and in an orderly manner, and promised to respect the result: “If we lose, we will accept the will of the voters. If we win, no one will take this victory away from us”. Vucic described the elections as a choice between Serbia's future and its past, criticizing previous governments for their economic policies and political decisions. According to him, preliminary indications of the election outcome may emerge between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. local time.

Dacic bets on stability

The leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and head of the 'Factor of Stability' list, Ivica Dacic, voted in Belgrade's Dedinje district. He called for a peaceful voting day and a democratic, fair atmosphere in accordance with the law. Dacic, who serves as interior minister in a caretaker capacity, said that political stability is especially important in turbulent times: “We will preserve peace, and we will also preserve political stability”. He expects a stable result for his coalition.

Student list predicts record turnout

Ilija Srdanovic, the leading candidate of the 'Student List — Students Will Win' list, voted in the northern city of Novi Sad. He expressed hope that the day would pass in a democratic atmosphere and that voters would freely determine Serbia's political future. According to him, the large number of voters who came to the polls from early morning reflects the atmosphere of the campaign and “may mean a record turnout in Serbia's recent parliamentary history.” Asked whether supporters should remain at polling stations after voting closes to protect the results, Srdanovic replied that the list would give further instructions after the first preliminary results are published, adding: “The most important thing now is for people to come out and vote freely.”

Context of the elections

The elections are taking place against the backdrop of months of student protests and political tension following the collapse of the canopy at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, which killed 16 people. It is editorially noteworthy that the participation of the student list as a separate electoral force and the record turnout anticipated by its leading candidate are directly connected to this wave of protests, as described in the source. Neither the final results nor the final turnout figures are yet known: preliminary indications, according to Vucic, are not expected until the evening.