Serbia's Student List Begins Government Talks

The Student List coalition is preparing to open negotiations to form a government in Serbia, despite having no designated leader to sign the contracts. The group secured 53% of the vote in the recent election, translating to 141 seats in the 250-member parliament. This victory ends the 14-year tenure of Aleksandar Vučić, who conceded defeat on Sunday.

The movement operates without a formal hierarchy. Its candidate slate included students, academics, actors, and farmers, but it lacks a single figurehead to serve as prime minister. Three prominent names have emerged as potential leaders or key negotiators: Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist who headed the ballot; Dejan Šoškić, a former central bank governor; and Radomir Saičić, a chemistry professor at Belgrade University who represented the group after the win.

Ana Mirković, a university educationist and candidate, stated that the group views the result as a responsibility rather than a privilege. She described the first priority as the social and psychological detoxification of the country. Mirković told The Guardian that the new administration aims to dismantle a system of intimidation that relied on fear and polarisation. The plan includes urgently opening up media channels, reducing pressure on public sector workers, and stopping institutional violence.

The coalition's platform focuses on restoring the rule of law and fighting corruption. Specific measures include creating an independent police unit accountable to prosecutors rather than the interior ministry. The group also proposes purging police officers linked to organised crime. Additionally, the platform aims to ban party loyalists from appointments in state-owned companies. New independent bodies would oversee all major state infrastructure contracts to ensure financial accountability.

Analysts note that the Student List faces a complex institutional environment. Many public institutions are staffed with civil servants loyal to the outgoing regime. Dušan Vučićević, an analyst, observed that the movement insisted on addressing domestic political issues first. This involves the literal dismantling of institutions from the national to the local level. He compared the situation to the recent political shift in Hungary, where a similar party ended long-term rule.

The Student List kept foreign policy issues, such as relations with the European Union and Russia, in the background during the campaign. The Kremlin expressed hope on Monday that the new leaders understand that cooperation with Russia remains in Serbia's interests. Vučićević noted that the grassroots model secured more than half the vote, though he questioned if the structure could replicate elsewhere.

Nikola Burazer, programme director at the Belgrade-based Centre for Contemporary Politics, said the movement's decision-making process needs to speed up. He pointed out that choosing candidates took months. Burazer noted that after the initial celebrations, attention will turn to the structure of the new government. He described the formation of a cabinet as having seemed like a fantasy just 24 hours prior to the result.

Vučić, who maintained close ties with Russia during his time in power, attributed his defeat to direct support from European countries and the US. He specifically mentioned the US deep state as a factor. International leaders responded with statements of support. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, called the result a new chapter in Serbian history. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said Berlin would actively support Serbia's path toward Europe, noting that the demand for the rule of law had reached the people.

Constitutional rules set a clear timeline for the transition. The new parliament must convene within 30 days of the official election result. Following that, there is a 90-day deadline to form the government. The country must also hold new presidential elections before 27 December, a requirement triggered by Vučić's decision to step down from the presidency to run for prime minister.

The Centre for Free Elections and Democracy in Belgrade provided the final projections. With all ballot samples counted, the Student List received 53% of the vote. The Serbian Progressive party won 39%, securing 103 seats. The remaining seats went to national minority party lists. Supporters took to the streets in the west Balkan country on Monday to mark the historic shift.