German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung has published a critical analysis of the Serbian authorities’ campaign against the student movement ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25, describing the election campaign as a particularly hostile contest.
The article, written by journalist Florian Hassel and reported by Deutsche Welle, examines allegations of intimidation, political violence, electoral manipulation and the use of state resources in support of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
At the beginning of the report, Hassel cites statements by Momčilo Marjanović, a former SNS member who spoke to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). Marjanović alleged that the party had employed paid demonstrators, used public money to finance political activities, intimidated opponents and organised physical violence.
According to the report, Marjanović said he had spent years receiving a salary for a position that did not actually exist at a public cemetery management company in Novi Sad. He also alleged that, from November 2024, he received between €350,000 and €400,000 from the director of a state-owned district heating company in Novi Sad, or the director’s secretary, for payments to assailants and vote-buying.
The article states that these allegations warrant scrutiny by the relevant prosecutors. The claims have been presented as allegations and do not, in themselves, establish criminal liability.
Vučić faces a significant political challenge
Hassel traces the current political crisis to the student-led protests that began in November 2024 following the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, a disaster that triggered widespread public anger and demands for accountability.
According to the analysis, the protests have spread across Serbia and created an unprecedented challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić’s political dominance, which dates back to 2012.
The article also examines Vučić’s intention to retain political power by becoming prime minister, drawing a comparison with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approach to maintaining influence.
It recalls allegations of irregularities during Serbia’s December 2023 parliamentary elections and cites the European Union’s critical assessment of the country’s rule of law and political debate in July 2026.
The report further refers to statements by election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), who reportedly raised concerns about alleged intimidation of opposition activists during the campaign, including incidents of physical violence.
Student list emerges as a challenger
The analysis describes the formation of the student-backed electoral list, Students Are Winning (Studenti pobeđuju), which includes professors, artists, entrepreneurs and other figures outside the traditional party establishment.
The list is led by Ilija Srdanović, a medical professor from Novi Sad who, according to the article, was previously little known to much of the Serbian public.
Hassel also cites findings reported by the Serbian fact-checking organisation Istinomer concerning the portrayal of the student movement and Srdanović in pro-government media.
Meanwhile, the article describes Vučić’s appearances at rallies attended by supporters who are allegedly transported to events by bus.
It also references findings by the SHARE Foundation, which reportedly indicate that at least 14 student representatives were illegally surveilled through their mobile phones using Pegasus, Israeli-developed spyware.
The report additionally discusses changes in the newsrooms of television channel N1 and the newspapers Nova and Danas, noting that 10 prominent N1 journalists had resigned.
Concerns over election integrity
The article raises questions about the potential for irregularities at polling stations and within Serbia’s election administration.
It notes that, according to the report, 236,000 new identity cards had been issued in Serbia since May 2026. The article places this figure in the context of previous allegations involving voters registered at fictitious addresses and organised transportation of voters from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska to Belgrade during earlier elections.
Hassel also highlights concerns over access to voting for more than 100,000 Serbian citizens who registered to vote abroad. According to the article, these voters must cast their ballots in person at Serbian diplomatic and consular missions during the same hours that polling stations are open in Serbia, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local Serbian time.
The report argues that this arrangement could create practical difficulties for voters living in distant parts of the world because of time differences.
With election day approaching, the article portrays Serbia’s political environment as increasingly tense, amid competing claims, allegations of intimidation and concerns about whether the electoral process will provide a fair contest between the ruling party and its challengers.
