Vucic Runs for Prime Minister as 500,000 Serbian Voters Lack Full Addresses

Approximately 500,000 individuals on the Serbian electoral register lack complete addresses, a finding that has sharpened scrutiny of the upcoming October 25 parliamentary elections. An investigation by the RFE/RL Balkan Service found that many of these records are missing specific street names or house numbers. The report also identified hundreds of voters listed at public facilities, such as social welfare centers, or at residential addresses that appear too small to hold that many people. These irregularities mirror concerns raised during the 2023 vote, when international observers documented irregularities including the transportation of voters from Bosnia-Hercegovina and instances of voter intimidation.

Aleksandar Vucic, who has led Serbian politics for fourteen years, is seeking the post of prime minister in this contest. He resigned as president in late September to avoid running for a third term. The race pits his ruling coalition against an opposition movement that grew out of widespread student protests. Vucic previously held the prime minister role from 2014 to 2017. The student opposition does not have formal leaders, and its candidate list is headed by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. The movement states that Srdanovic's position at the top of the list does not guarantee a premiership if the group wins the election. Its candidates include university professors and other nonpartisan figures.

Vladimir Bilcik, a former European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, described the vote as the first in over a decade with a genuinely uncertain outcome. Current polling shows the electorate deeply divided between supporters of the ruling party and those backing the student movement. The government claims it has implemented all recommendations from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe following its criticism of the 2023 election. However, an interim report by the OSCE contradicted this claim. The organization has deployed 300 observers to Serbia for the upcoming vote.

Further concerns have emerged regarding the number of eligible voters in Bosnia and Kosovo, which increased ahead of the election. These regions are considered key sources of support for Vucic's Progressive Party among ethnic Serbs. Four employees of Serbia-funded institutions in Kosovo told RFE/RL that they faced pressure to vote for the ruling party. Research by the Serbian nonprofit SHARE and Toronto University researchers alleged that at least sixteen cases of the Pegasus surveillance software were used in 2026. The software is illegal in Serbia. Government officials have denied targeting political rivals with the surveillance tools.

The election takes place just days before the second anniversary of the Novi Sad tragedy. On November 1, 2024, a renovated canopy at the city's railway station collapsed, killing sixteen people. The disaster triggered nationwide protests fueled by allegations of corruption at the construction site, which was a flagship project led by Chinese businesses. The government denied wrongdoing, but the protests were met with police force and arrests. On March 15, 2025, authorities allegedly deployed an unlawful sonic weapon against peaceful demonstrators.

A statement from the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee on October 21 cited reports of illegal monitoring of opposition members and attempts to undermine election observation missions. Some US lawmakers have warned that Moscow may play an active role in the election. Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally expressed support for Vucic ahead of the vote. The European Parliament has raised concerns about Russian influence operations in the country.

During the campaign, Vucic pledged to maintain his foreign policy course, including his refusal to follow EU calls for sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The student movement has focused primarily on fighting corruption and has also opposed sanctions. Serbia's progress in EU integration has stalled, with no new accession chapter opened since late 2021. Democratic backsliding, unresolved relations with Kosovo, and the refusal to sanction Russia are cited as the main reasons for this impasse.