Serbians Head to Polls as Audit Flags 500,000 Flawed Voter Records

Serbia goes to the polls on Monday, October 25, for parliamentary elections that many observers consider the most contested in a decade.

Aleksandar Vucic, who has controlled Serbian politics for fourteen years, is seeking the prime minister’s office. He stepped down as president in late September to avoid a third term. His main rival is a student-led opposition movement that emerged from recent protests. Vladimir Bilcik, a former European Parliament rapporteur, called this the first election in over ten years with a genuinely uncertain result.

An audit by RFE/RL’s Balkan Service found that approximately 500,000 registered voters lack complete addresses. Many records are missing street names or house numbers. The investigation also identified hundreds of voters listed at social welfare centers or in residences that could not physically hold that many people. These findings mirror irregularities reported in the 2023 election, where international observers cited voter transport from Bosnia-Hercegovina and intimidation tactics.

The election takes place days before the second anniversary of the Novi Sad railway station tragedy. On November 1, 2024, a station canopy collapsed, killing sixteen people. The disaster sparked nationwide protests over corruption on a project led by Chinese firms. Police used force during demonstrations, and authorities allegedly used an unlawful sonic weapon against protesters on March 15, 2025. Vucic announced early elections after another student protest in June.

The opposition list is led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. The movement describes itself as nonpartisan, with candidates including university professors. They clarified that Srdanovic’s top spot does not guarantee him the prime minister’s role if they win. Current polling shows the electorate split evenly between Vucic’s coalition and the student movement.

The government claims it fixed all issues flagged by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe after the 2023 vote. An interim OSCE report contradicted that claim. The organization deployed 300 observers for the current election. RFE/RL also noted that the number of eligible voters in Bosnia and Kosovo increased before the vote. These areas provide strong support for Vucic’s Progressive Party. Four employees of Serbia-funded institutions in Kosovo told RFE/RL they faced pressure to vote for the ruling party.

Allegations of illegal surveillance have added tension to the campaign. A statement from the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee on October 21 cited reports of monitoring opposition members. Research by the nonprofit SHARE and Toronto University researchers found at least sixteen cases of Pegasus software, which is illegal in Serbia, used in 2026. The government denied targeting political rivals.

International actors are watching closely. The European Parliament raised concerns about Russian influence operations. Congressman Joe Wilson said Russia is deploying resources to disrupt the student movement. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for Vucic. Vucic pledged to maintain his foreign policy course, including his refusal to join EU sanctions on Russia. Serbia has not opened a new EU accession chapter since late 2021.