Serbia's Student List Secures 141 Seats, Triggers 90-Day Government Clock

Belgrade is now counting down to a hard deadline. Serbia’s constitution gives the new parliament 90 days to form a government after its first session, a clock that starts once the chamber convenes within 30 days of the official results.

The pressure to organize comes after the Student List, a movement built on collective decision-making and devoid of a single figurehead, swept the October 25 election. The Centre for Free Elections and Democracy in Belgrade reported that the group captured 53% of the vote, translating to 141 seats in the 250-member parliament. This total is more than double the 103 seats won by the Serbian Progressive party, the vehicle for former president Aleksandar Vučić, who claimed 39% of the vote.

Vučić conceded defeat late Sunday, ending a 14-year hold on power that observers have characterized as a textbook autocracy. His tenure was marked by expanded control over media, the judiciary, and state institutions, with elections often plagued by registration errors and voter incentives. The collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad railway station, which killed 16 people, had triggered two years of anti-government protests that culminated in this weekend’s vote.

Supporters flooded the streets on Monday to celebrate the result. The movement’s candidate slate was diverse, featuring academics, actors, and farmers alongside students. Key figures include Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist who topped the list, and Dejan Šoškić, a former central bank governor. Radomir Saičić, a chemistry professor at Belgrade University, spoke publicly on the group’s behalf following the victory.

The lack of a hierarchy poses immediate logistical challenges. The group has not named a prime minister or outlined a cabinet structure. Ana Mirković, a university educationist and candidate, described the result not as a gain in privilege but as a "historic debt" to the Serbian people. She stated that the movement’s first priority is the "social and psychological detoxification" of the country.

Mirković outlined a platform focused on dismantling what she called a "system of intimidation." The plan includes "urgently opening up" the media, ending pressure on public-sector workers, and "stopping institutional violence." She emphasized the need for full disclosure of all state contracts and financial flows to prevent future state capture.

The movement’s policy agenda targets deep-seated corruption. It proposes an independent police unit accountable to prosecutors rather than the interior ministry, a purge of officers linked to organized crime, and a ban on appointing party loyalists to state-owned companies. New independent bodies would oversee major infrastructure contracts to ensure financial accountability.

Analysts note the structural parallels to Hungary’s Tisza party, which ended Viktor Orbán’s rule this spring. Dušan Vučićević, an analyst, observed that the Student List insisted on addressing domestic political issues first, including the dismantling of institutions at the national and local levels. He noted that while the model secured over 50% of the vote, its applicability in other countries remains unclear.

Nikola Burazer, programme director at the Belgrade-based Centre for Contemporary Politics, warned that the movement’s decision-making process needs to accelerate. He pointed out that candidate selection took months. Burazer said the focus will shift from celebration to the practicalities of governance, a task that seemed "like a fantasy" only a day before the vote.

International leaders have reacted quickly. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, called the result a "new chapter" in Serbian history and expressed hope for warm relations with the European community. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, stated that Berlin would "actively support Serbia’s European path," citing the students’ demand for the rule of law.

Vučić, who maintained close ties with Russia, attributed his party’s loss to the "direct support of various European countries and the US deep state." The Kremlin responded on Monday, expressing hope that the new leaders understand that cooperation with Russia serves Serbia’s interests. Serbia must also hold new presidential elections before December 27, as Vučić stepped down from the presidency to run for prime minister.