Student List
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Student List – Students Are Winning Студентска листа – Студенти побеђују | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | SL |
| Ballot holder | Ilija Srdanović |
| Founded | 9 September 2026 |
| Preceded by | Students in Blockade (2024–2026) |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Big tent[1] |
| Colors | Carmine |
| Slogan | "Students Are Winning" (Studenti pobeđuju) |
| National Assembly | 0 / 250 |
| Website | |
| studenti | |
Student List (Serbian: Студентска листа, romanized: Studentska lista; abbr. SL) is a citizens' group in Serbia that will participate in the 2026 Serbian parliamentary election. It was formed by the Students in Blockade, the organisers of the anti-corruption protests that began after the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse in November 2024. The list is composed of prominent individuals chosen by the students, rather than students themselves, and is supported by several parliamentary and extra-parliamentary parties. The idea of forming a separate electoral list was first revealed in May 2025, after students demanded early parliamentary elections. The association Student List was registered on 21 May 2026, and the citizens' group Student List – Students Are Winning (Студентска листа – Студенти побеђују, Studentska lista – Studenti pobeđuju) was founded on 9 September 2026, the same day the 2026 parliamentary elections were called. The list's slogan is "Students Are Winning".
Background
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On 1 November 2024, the canopy of the Novi Sad railway station collapsed, killing 16 people.[3] This triggered a series of protests.[4] Students who joined the protests initiated blockades of their faculties with several demands: the publication of all documentation regarding the canopy renovation, criminal accountability for those who attacked students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts during a protest, the dropping of criminal charges against students and demonstrators who participated in the 5 November 2024 protests in Novi Sad, and a 20% increase in university funding.[4] In April 2025, fifth and sixth demands were added. Due to the perceived failure of the government to meet these demands, on 5 May 2025, the students called for early parliamentary elections, stating this would bring about a change in the current government.[4]
History
[edit]
The student movement organising the anti-corruption protests first called for early parliamentary elections in May 2025.[5] There was considerable public debate about how the broad opposition electorate would be mobilised and whether the students would form joint candidacies with political parties. To distinguish themselves from established opposition parties, the students announced they would form their own independent list, which would not include students as candidates.[6] After the snap parliamentary election was called on 9 September 2026, the list launched its campaign at a rally in Novi Sad on 10 September.[7]
Student List is also a colloquial name used to refer to electoral lists supported by the blockading students during the 2025 and 2026 local elections.
Political organising
[edit]
The association Student List was registered with the Agency for Business Registers on 21 May 2026 for a fixed term, valid until 1 May 2028.[8][9] According to its Statute, it is a voluntary, non-governmental, non-partisan, and non-profit association established for a fixed period to raise civic awareness regarding the importance of democracy and free and fair elections.[10] Its main goals include: advocating for greater youth participation in key democratic processes; monitoring and analysing all electoral processes and referendums in Serbia; launching initiatives to ensure respect for the law and to hold violators accountable; networking with citizens interested in democratic participation; promoting freedom of speech, the rule of law, and respect for the Constitution; and promoting voting rights.[10]
The citizens' group Student List – Students Are Winning was formally founded on 9 September 2026, following the calling of the 2026 parliamentary elections.[11] The founders of the citizens' group are: Marija Maruna (professor at the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade), Katarina Šćepanović (high school teacher and representative of the Forum of Belgrade Grammar Schools), Goran Perišić, Stanislav Milošević, Aleksandar Čupić, Miljan Salata (architect), Milica Jovanović, Sanja Fric (assistant professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade), Mirjana Nikolić (rector of the University of Arts in Belgrade), Radomir Saičić (professor at the Faculty of Chemistry in Belgrade and academician), Dušan Đurđević, Željko Hubač (dramatist and journalist), Maja Crnogorac Đurić (social worker and representative of the organisation Preschool Circle), and Miroslav Andrić.[11]
We have written a detailed and serious social programme. We have chosen expert people who will represent our movement on the electoral list. We have positioned ourselves as a serious and powerful political actor, not because we wanted it at any cost, but because the situation forced us to.
The blockading students had also previously appealed to citizens to temporarily provide business premises where they could collect signatures to support their electoral list.[12]
Programme and platform
[edit]The Student List presented its programme, the "Student Plan", on 15 September 2026, a day after submitting its candidate list to the Republic Electoral Commission. It consists of 11 points divided into three sections, "Serbia or the Mafia", "Knowledge is Power" and "Serbia Grows with Us". The fight against crime and corruption is at its centre, including the establishment of a Special Prosecutorial Police and the confiscation of illegally acquired assets, alongside social measures such as free school textbooks and cheaper medicines.[2] Its central promise has been described as a broad change in the way Serbia is governed.[1]
| Area | Programme commitment |
|---|---|
| Rule of law | Independent judiciary, accountability of public officials, respect for the Constitution and laws |
| Fight against corruption | Publication of documentation, transparency of public procurement, control over the financing of political entities |
| Education | Increase in funding for universities, academic freedom, accessible education for all |
| Media freedoms | Depoliticisation of public broadcasters, protection of journalists, freedom of speech |
| Electoral process | Reform of the voter list, rigorous control of the electoral process, equal media representation |
| Social solidarity | Justice for victims, accountability of institutions, restoring trust in the community |
Composition
[edit]
Candidates were selected according to several strict criteria:[13]
| # | Criterion | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adult citizen of Serbia | Legal requirement |
| 2 | Respect for the list's programme | Ideological consistency |
| 3 | Not a student | Separation of the student movement from formal politics |
| 4 | Not a member of the SNS | Clear distancing from the ruling party |
| 5 | Not an official in any opposition party | Independence of the list |
| 6 | No convictions for serious crimes | Integrity of candidates |
Support
[edit]Several opposition parties announced that they would not contest the 2026 parliamentary election themselves and would instead back the Student List.[14] Among parliamentary parties, these included the Democratic Party,[15] the Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia,[16] the Green–Left Front,[17] the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG),[18] the Serbian Renewal Movement,[19] New Face of Serbia,[20] Ecological Uprising[21] and the People's Movement of Serbia.[22] Extra-parliamentary parties that did the same included Kreni-Promeni, the Social Democratic Party, Dveri, Enough is Enough,[14] the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina[5] and Love, Faith, Hope.[23]
The PSG had initially said it would take part in the election only if all parties gathered around the Platform for a European Serbia and the People's Serbia alliance ran on a single joint list, arguing that separate lists could jeopardise a change of government. It said that if no such coalition was formed, it would support the Student List, provided the list's actions and positions did not contradict the PSG's core principles.[24] After the People's Movement of Serbia declined to join a coalition with the Platform and the Party of Freedom and Justice formed the separate "European Serbia" coalition, no unified list emerged, and the PSG announced on 9 September that it would not run.[18][25] Party president Pavle Grbović described the support as conditional, saying it would be withdrawn if the Student List pursued policies contrary to European values.[26] Stefan Simić, head of the PSG's Belgrade board, later said the decision was made after a lengthy debate in the party's Main Board and after polling indicated that running separately risked splitting the vote and costing the Student List seats.[27]
The People's Serbia coalition initially prepared to run on its own list, "Izbor naroda" ("The People's Choice"), but began to break apart within days. Several local boards of New Face of Serbia, including those in Bajina Bašta, Malo Crniće and Kostolac, collectively left the party in protest at the leadership's decision not to back the students.[28] On 15 September, New Face of Serbia announced that it was leaving the alliance, with its president Miloš Parandilović proposing that the coalition partners withdraw the list and back the students.[20][29] The same day, the coalition submitted around 10,500 signatures to the Republic Electoral Commission but announced outside its building that it would withdraw the list and support the Student List. People's Movement of Serbia president Miroslav Aleksić said the decision was meant to contribute to a "referendum atmosphere" and to opposition unity, while Ecological Uprising leader Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta said the coalition would place all of its resources and polling-station observers at the Student List's disposal.[22][30] As the signatures had already been filed, the Commission proclaimed the list, which was assigned ninth place on the ballot, before the coalition formally withdrew it on 22 September.[31][32]
The Student List has also received backing from parts of the academic community, including the Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA), which urged opposition parties to withdraw their own candidacies in favour of the students,[33] as well as from various other associations.[5]
| Name | Type | Support since |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | parliamentary | 2026 |
| Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia | parliamentary | 2026 |
| Green–Left Front | parliamentary | 2026 |
| Movement of Free Citizens | parliamentary | 2026 |
| Serbian Renewal Movement | parliamentary | 2026 |
| New Face of Serbia | parliamentary | 2026 |
| Ecological Uprising | parliamentary | 2026 |
| People's Movement of Serbia | parliamentary | 2026 |
| Kreni-Promeni | extra-parliamentary | 2026 |
| Social Democratic Party | extra-parliamentary | 2026 |
| Dveri | extra-parliamentary | 2026 |
| League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina | extra-parliamentary | 2026 |
| Enough is Enough | extra-parliamentary | 2026 |
| Love, Faith, Hope[23] | extra-parliamentary | 2026 |
| Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement[33] | professional organisation | 2025 |
Organisation
[edit]The group's official slogan is "Students Are Winning" (Studenti pobeđuju).[34] The movement has deliberately avoided appointing a conventional political leader, and its candidates were chosen through student plenums and collective decision-making.[1] The list is headed by cardiologist Ilija Srdanović, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, and comprises 250 candidates, mostly professors, experts and public figures.[31][35] Among the first candidates presented at the Novi Sad rally on 10 September were Nemanja Đurić, president of the Judicial Authority Trade Union, professor Ljubica Oparnica, sociologist Jovo Bakić, academician Radomir Saičić, political scientist Adem Mavrić and actor Tihomir Stanić.[7] Other well-known candidates include former basketball player and EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga, former National Bank of Serbia governor Dejan Šoškić and former athlete Mihail Dudaš.[1]
The list was submitted to the Republic Electoral Commission on 14 September 2026, after a march through central Belgrade, with around 70,000 signatures of support.[36][37] The Commission subsequently certified the list with 69,099 valid signatures, nearly seven times the legal threshold of 10,000.[1]
Elections
[edit]Local elections
[edit]As early as 2025, the blockading students called on local opposition political groups to unite for the local elections in Kosjerić and Zaječar on 8 June 2025. They pledged to assist the opposition with their numbers and activism in monitoring the electoral process in these areas.[38] This was the first electoral test since the start of the student-led anti-government protests triggered by the canopy collapse. In Kosjerić, the opposition groups united, whereas in Zaječar they did not. In both municipalities, the ruling coalition secured a victory.[38]
The next round of local elections was held in Mionica, Negotin, and Sečanj on 30 November 2025.[39] In these elections, students participated more actively, appearing on local electoral lists such as United for Mionica, United for Negotin, and Voice of Youth that Changes Sečanj.[39] The ruling coalition, led by the Serbian Progressive Party, won in all these municipalities.[39]
In 2026, local elections were held in ten municipalities on 29 March: Aranđelovac, Bajina Bašta, Kula, Knjaževac, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Lučani, Smederevska Palanka, Sevojno, and Bor.[40] In these ten local elections, students ran either in coalition with other opposition parties or independently. Although the ruling coalition won in all ten municipalities, lists backed by the students came second in each of them.[40]
| Year | Municipality or city | List name | % | Seats | Municipal status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kosjerić | United for Kosjerić | 48.39 | 13 / 27 |
opposition |
| Mionica | United for Mionica – For a Nicer Face of Mionica | 38.93 | 16 / 39 |
opposition | |
| Negotin | United for Negotin | 26.76 | 12 / 33 |
opposition | |
| Sečanj | Voice of Youth that Changes Sečanj | 32.7 | 8 / 23 |
opposition | |
| 2026 | Aranđelovac | Students for Aranđelovac – Youth Wins! | 46.08 | 20 / 41 |
opposition |
| Bajina Bašta | United for Bajina Bašta[a] | 40.07 | 19 / 45 |
opposition | |
| Bor | Bor, Our Responsibility[a] | 39.76 | 15 / 35 |
opposition | |
| Kladovo | Kladovo Has Us, Time for Change! | 26.16 | 7 / 28 |
opposition | |
| Knjaževac | Knjaževac with Students – Clean List – Dr Ivan Milošević | 32.12 | 13 / 40 |
opposition | |
| Kula | Voice of Youth of the Municipality of Kula | 47.53 | 18 / 37 |
opposition | |
| Lučani | Sound of Justice – Together for Students – Mirjana Kern | 32.91 | 12 / 35 |
opposition | |
| Majdanpek | Citizens' Group Ne dam – Nu dau | 18.9 | 6 / 31 |
opposition | |
| Sevojno | United – Sevojno | 44.85 | 9 / 19 |
opposition | |
| Smederevska Palanka | Youth for Palanka – Alone Against Everyone | 28.48 | 15 / 49 |
opposition |
Parliamentary elections
[edit]| Year | Popular vote | % of popular vote | # | # of seats | Seat change | Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 / 250 |
TBA |
Criticism
[edit]In an article published by the pro-government daily Politika,[41][42] journalist Biljana Lukić argued that the list had lost half of its former support and pointed to the idealisation of its leadership and an intolerance of criticism.[43]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kekic, Tatyana (21 September 2026). "BALKAN BLOG: Serbia's students are testing a new way of doing politics". bne IntelliNews. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Student List programme: 'Prosecutorial police, lustration, free school textbooks, cheaper medicines'". Serbian Monitor. 15 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Pad nadstrešnice, 22 meseca kasnije: Skupovi u Beogradu, Novom Sadu i Nišu". BBC News na srpskom. 1 September 2026. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Studenti u blokadi traže parlamentarne izbore". Insajder. Beta. 5 May 2025. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Galicki, Iva (9 September 2026). "Šta se sve zna o izborima: Ko je uz vlast, ko uz studente i na šta se upozorava" [What is known about the elections: Who is with the government, who is with the students and what is being warned about]. 021.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "„Opozicija neujedinjena, svaki dan donose druge odluke", predstavnici studenata: „Na studentskoj listi neće biti studenata"". Blic (in Serbian). 18 May 2025. Archived from the original on 7 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Otkriven deo kandidata sa Studentske liste" [Some of the Student List candidates revealed]. Mašina (in Serbian). 10 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "„Studentska lista" registrovana kao udruženje". RTS (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Zvanično registrovani u APR: Šta piše u Statutu udruženja „Studentska lista"". Nova.rs (in Serbian). 29 August 2026. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Objavljen Statut UG „Studentska lista": Detaljno o njenim ciljevima, načinu rada, učlanjivanja..." N1 (in Serbian). 3 August 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Osnovana grupa građana „Studentska lista – Studenti pobeđuju"". RTS (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Studenti u blokadi traže prostorije za prikupljanje potpisa: Pozivaju građane da im ustupe lokale, kancelarije ili sale". Nova.rs. 27 August 2026. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Kako se formira studentska lista?". Mašina (in Serbian). 29 August 2025. Archived from the original on 14 April 2026.
- 1 2 "Studentkinja otkrila kada će biti objavljena studentska lista" [A student revealed when the Student List will be published]. N1 (in Serbian). 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Само глас за Студентску листу је глас против режима". ds.org.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "ПОКС УЗ СТУДЕНТЕ. СТУДЕНТИ ПОБЕЂУЈУ!". Pokret obnove Kraljevine Srbije (in Serbian). 7 September 2026. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Na parlamentarnim izborima ZLF će podržati listu Studentskog pokreta". Zeleno-levi front (in Serbian). 31 July 2026. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- 1 2 "N1 saznaje: PSG doneo odluku da ne izlazi na izbore". N1 (in Serbian). 9 September 2026. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "SPO podržava studentsku listu". Danas (in Serbian). 12 September 2026. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- 1 2 "N1 saznaje: Novo lice Srbije istupa iz saveza Narodna Srbija - podršku daje studentskoj listi" [N1 learns: The New Face of Serbia withdraws from the People's Serbia alliance - supports the Student List]. N1 (in Serbian). 15 September 2026. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
- ↑ "Ekološki ustanak odustaje od učešća na izborima" [Ecological Uprising withdraws from participating in the elections]. N1 (in Serbian). 15 September 2026. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Koalicija Narodna Srbija povukla izbornu listu" [The People's Serbia coalition withdrew its electoral list]. N1 (in Serbian). 15 September 2026. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Pokret Nemanje Šarovića podržao studentsku listu na parlamentarnim izborima". Danas (in Serbian). 11 September 2026. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- ↑ "PSG ne ide na izbore ukoliko stranke ne budu izašle u jednoj koloni". 021.rs (in Serbian). 6 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "PSG: Formalna odluka o podršci studentskoj listi nakon njenog proglašenja". Insajder (in Serbian). 9 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Grbović (PSG): Podrška studentskoj listi, ali ne bezuslovna". Danas (in Serbian). 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Simić: PSG napravio težak potez da bi Srbija dobila šansu za promenu". 021.rs (in Serbian). 21 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Lokalni odbori Novog lica Srbije kolektivno napustili stranku, podržavaju Studentsku listu" [Local boards of the New Face of Serbia collectively left the party, support the Student List]. Nova.rs (in Serbian). 14 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Koalicija Narodna Srbija povukla izbornu listu, podržali studente" [The People's Serbia coalition withdrew its electoral list, backed the students]. Nedeljnik (in Serbian). 15 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Koalicija Narodna Srbija povukla izbornu listu, daje podršku studentima" [The People's Serbia coalition withdrew its electoral list, gives support to the students] (in Serbian). Beta. 15 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026 – via Naslovi.net.
- 1 2 "Izborni presek: Susret pristalica Studentske liste i SNS-a, koalicija Narodna Srbija se povlači". BBC News Serbian (in Serbian). 22 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026 – via Danas.
- ↑ "Uspešna organizacija ili nepotrebna zabuna: Šta će proizvesti proglašenje, pa povlačenje liste "Narodna Srbija"?". Danas (in Serbian). 23 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Akademska zajednica poručila opoziciji: Podržite studente, odustanite od svojih kandidatura" (in Serbian). 021.rs. 9 September 2026. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "Studenti u blokadi: Osnovana grupa građana "Studentska lista – Studenti pobeđuju"" [Students in Blockade: Citizens' Group "Student List – Students Are Winning" founded]. Nedeljnik (in Serbian). 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Izbori 2026: Ko je za sada u trci?" [Elections 2026: Who is in the race so far?]. Radio Sloboda (in Serbian). September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ ""Studentska lista – Studenti pobeđuju" predata Republičkoj izbornoj komisiji". Savremena politika (in Serbian). 15 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Serbia's protesting youth formally join race challenging Vucic before next month's election". ABC News. Associated Press. 14 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Izbori u Kosjeriću: Da li pobedu donosi asfalt vlasti ili izborni debi studenata". BBC News na srpskom. 2 June 2025. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Lokalni izbori u Mionici, Negotinu i Sečnju: Izborni dan uz incidente, oglasili se studenti u Mionici o rezultatima". N1. 30 November 2025. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Vučić: Naša lista pobedila u svih 10 lokalnih samouprava". Politika. 30 March 2026. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Serbia's Vučić dominates pro-government tabloids: 1,172 front-page appearances in 2025, all positive". EUalive. Beta. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Serbia: War on journalists continues". International Press Institute. May 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Biljana Lukić: Studentska lista izgubila polovinu nekadašnje podrške" [Biljana Lukić: The Student List has lost half of its former support]. Politika (in Serbian). 9 September 2026. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
Further reading
[edit]- "Vreme je za pobedu". Studenti pobeđuju. 9 September 2026. Archived from the original on 9 September 2026.