SERBIA
ELECTION WATCH

A student-led challenge after 14 years of SNS-led government

Background briefing

Serbia will hold early parliamentary elections on 25 October 2026, against a backdrop of nearly two years of student-led protests, deep political polarisation and declining trust in public institutions. The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has governed in coalition with the Socialist Party of Serbia since 2012, is facing a substantial challenge from the student movement and its electoral list, “Studentska lista – Studenti pobeđuju”, commonly referred to as the Student List. OSCE/ODIHR describes the movement as a major challenger in these elections.

The protests began after the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024, which killed 16 people. Demands for accountability, transparency and the rule of law evolved into a nationwide movement and, from May 2025, a call for early elections. The students’ electoral participation marks a transition from street mobilisation to a contest for political power.

Critics of Aleksandar Vučić and the SNS have for years accused the ruling establishment of corruption, the concentration of power and pressure on independent media and civil society. These concerns extend beyond domestic political opposition: Freedom House classifies Serbia as “Partly Free” in its 2026 assessment, citing erosion of political rights and civil liberties. Authorities contest particular allegations of wrongdoing: for example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected allegations that it obstructed overseas voter registration (see Section 05).

Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2012. In July 2026, eight EU member states opposed opening Cluster 3 of Serbia’s accession negotiations, according to reporting by Euronews citing EU diplomats. Concerns included the rule of law and Serbia’s alignment with EU foreign policy. The European Commission had recommended opening the cluster, illustrating differing assessments within the EU.

On 27 September, Vučić resigned as president to head the “Aleksandar Vučić – Ujedinjena Srbija” electoral list. Parliamentary Speaker Ana Brnabić is serving as acting president. On 25 October, voters will elect the 250 members of the National Assembly; the presidency is a separate office and is not on the ballot.

Sources: OSCE/ODIHR Interim Report, 9 October  ·  Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2026  ·  Reuters, 27 September  ·  Euronews, 8 July  ·  Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1 October  ·  RIK, official electoral lists, 8 October

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ODIHR interim report details continuing electoral concerns

9 October 2026

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has released an interim report covering 16 September–7 October. It describes a prolonged political crisis, deepening polarisation and multiple unresolved concerns about the election environment.

Among the issues raised by election stakeholders are voter intimidation, the accuracy of the electoral register, uneven access to campaign resources, alleged misuse of public resources, media bias and pressure on journalists. ODIHR also reports concerns raised over almost €1 billion in one-off payments to adult citizens announced ahead of the vote. These are concerns and allegations reported by mission interlocutors, not a final ODIHR determination of electoral wrongdoing.

The report acknowledges that amendments adopted in 2025 and 2026 addressed some earlier ODIHR recommendations. It also records that the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK, its Serbian abbreviation) had met the legal deadlines for election preparations as of the report’s observation period. Other recommendations remain outstanding, including safeguards against voter pressure and stronger oversight of campaign finance and the media regulator.

ODIHR notes that the new Voter Registration Audit Commission is due to publish its first report by 28 October—three days after election day. Some commission members reported only partial or delayed access to data needed for meaningful cross-checking.

Sources: OSCE/ODIHR Interim Report, 9 October

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Polling locations and Serbian-time voting hours trigger dispute

5–6 October 2026

Following RIK’s final decisions and the closure of the voter register on 9 October, independent observer CRTA reports 102,147 voters assigned to 93 polling stations in 37 countries, compared with 39,270 voters at 81 overseas polling stations in 2023. Twenty-eight of the 93 stations are in Bosnia and Herzegovina. CRTA questions whether their distribution reflects where registered voters live; it estimates that approximately 22,000 people who applied to vote abroad were left without an overseas polling station.

RIK also decided that voting abroad would take place according to Serbian voting hours (07:00–20:00 in Serbia), rather than local hours. CRTA calculates that voting at 13 overseas polling stations, serving 10,851 assigned voters, will take place partly during the night, including at locations in the Americas, Asia and Oceania.

RIK member and legal expert Sofija Mandić separately warned that more than 26,000 voters could be impeded by the arrangements; this is her assessment, not a verified count of voters actually prevented from casting ballots. Foreign Minister Marko Đurić defended the allocation of locations on logistical, security, premises and staffing grounds. In an official statement on 1 October, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied obstructing the processing of overseas voting requests and said its diplomatic network was working at full capacity.

Sources: CRTA, 11 October  ·  Associated Press, 6 October  ·  OSCE/ODIHR Interim Report, 9 October  ·  Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1 October

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Serving diplomats publicly criticise overseas voting plan; former colleagues and diaspora groups respond

7–9 October 2026

On 7 October, more than 30 serving Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomats publicly criticised the organisation of voting abroad. They argued that too few polling stations had been provided for the sharply increased number of applications and objected to using Serbian voting hours worldwide.

On 9 October, around 40 former diplomats publicly supported their serving colleagues, urging respect for electoral rights, professional standards and institutional integrity. Diaspora organisations also issued an open letter welcoming the diplomats’ intervention and calling for urgent reconsideration of overseas voting arrangements.

The developments have brought the practical administration of diaspora voting into a wider debate about state institutions’ responsibilities and the ability of citizens living abroad to exercise their franchise.

Sources: N1, 7 October  ·  N1/Beta, 9 October  ·  N1, 9 October

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Student List announces court appeal after RIK rejects complaints

10–11 October 2026

At a meeting on 10 October, RIK rejected Student List objections seeking a reconsideration of overseas polling locations and the decision to conduct voting according to Serbian time.

The Student List announced on 11 October that it would appeal to the Administrative Court, claiming the commission had exceeded the statutory deadline for deciding on the objections. It also alleged disruption to the processing of overseas voter applications. These are claims advanced by the Student List; the court has not yet ruled on them, and the allegations of obstructed applications have not been independently established.

The later procedural dispute should be distinguished from ODIHR’s 9 October interim report, which assessed election preparations only through 7 October.

Sources: RTS/FoNet, 10 October  ·  N1/FoNet, 11 October (Serbian)

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European Parliament invitation missed deadline; PACE visits Serbia

8–12 October 2026

The European Parliament had not received a formal invitation from Serbia by its 8 October procedural deadline for observing the 25 October elections. That day, the Parliament’s Conference of Presidents conditionally approved a seven-member observation delegation, even though no invitation had arrived. Without a formal invitation, the mission could not proceed.

The Parliament was subsequently prepared to extend the deadline until 12 October. Acting president Ana Brnabić sent the invitation, received on 10 October, two days after the original deadline. The European Parliament’s press service confirmed receipt on 12 October and said it would finalise the delegation’s membership. Its constitutive meeting is planned for 14 October.

The missed deadline had placed the European Parliament’s participation at risk. The reason for the delay was not publicly explained in the sources reviewed; there is no verified basis here to conclude that it was deliberate.

Separately, a five-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Piero Fassino, is scheduled to visit Serbia on 12–13 October to assess the campaign and political environment. A full 20-member PACE delegation is due to observe election day.

OSCE/ODIHR has a mission led by Eoghan Murphy, comprising 14 core experts and 30 long-term observers, and has requested 300 short-term observers. ODIHR and its partners plan to publish their preliminary findings on 26 October; a final report will follow.

Sources: RFE/RL, 9 October  ·  RFE/RL, 12 October  ·  N1, 12 October  ·  PACE, 9 October  ·  OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission

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