Serbia’s Student Movement Demands Major Political Reforms
Following the election victory, Serbia's Student List is demanding major reforms and accountability from the previous government.
BELGRADE, Nov 2: Serbia’s recently elected Student List is demanding significant changes in governance after ousting former president Aleksandar Vučić’s party. The group, composed of students, professors, and activists, won 53% of the vote in the October 25 election, leaving Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) with 39%.
The movement aims to establish a new political direction by calling for the resignations of top figures in the police, intelligence, and judiciary who have allegedly committed infractions. On Thursday, newly elected MPs stood in Pioneers’ Park near parliament to demand these changes, emphasizing the need for accountability amid fears evidence of past misconduct could be destroyed.
Since the election, citizens have also begun removing Vučić’s portraits from public spaces, expressing their desire for a swift transition from his regime. The Student List emerged from protests triggered by a tragic accident in 2024 that resulted in 16 deaths due to a collapsed railway station canopy, highlighting corruption and a lack of accountability.
Newly elected MP Marija Milovanović, 25, expressed optimism while cleaning the park used by Vučić’s supporters prior to the election. “This is just the first wave of spring cleaning,” she stated, reflecting the movement’s fresh start.
The group plans to focus on reforms aimed at halting corruption, restoring stolen assets to the state, and investing in education and the economy. Their agenda includes liberating the media, which has long been under state control, as most media outlets favored Vučić during his tenure.
Dejan Šoškić, a prominent MP, argued for immediate reforms to ensure the media operate freely and to instate laws banning members of the previous government from public office. The task ahead is significant; the SNS controlled key institutions, and the new MPs will need to build consensus with them, according to Strahinja Subotić from the European Policy Centre.
While the EU has welcomed the Student List’s victory, the integration process is not a primary focus of their agenda. The group aims to maintain stability, balancing Serbia’s relationships with both the EU and Russia, particularly regarding energy dependencies. Šoškić emphasized that past sanctions have historically harmed ordinary citizens without changing government policies.
The movement is characterized by its diversity, including a mix of left-wing and right-wing members who share a common goal of reform. Radomir Saičić, a member of the Student List, emphasized the necessity of adhering to the 1200-page plan drafted by the student movement, while the new MPs will work closely alongside student leaders.
As Serbia prepares for this fundamental shift in governance, the Student List faces challenges but also a significant opportunity to reshape the country’s political future.
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