Serbian student‑led election challenge escalates

In mid‑July 2026 an independent poll showed the newly formed Students' List ahead of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), capturing 44.9% support while 60% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the democratic system. President Aleksandar Vučić dismissed the poll as fabricated, and actress‑activist Bojana Maljević withdrew over internal candidate‑selection concerns. The movement then organized university plenums to draft a slate of 250 candidates and began training roughly 15,000 election monitors.

A week later, the SNS launched a tent‑and‑stall campaign in rural villages, using music, barbecue and party merchandise to shore up its base. A new poll from the New Serbian Political Thought institute dated 29 July showed the Student List at 39.6% and the SNS at 37.5%, indicating a narrowing gap. Commentators noted that Vučić now faces an uncertain electoral outcome, while the student‑led initiative continues to expand its grassroots presence despite logistical hurdles.