Serbian Students End Vucic's 12-Year Rule, Make 'Media Reform' Their First Priority

Calls for Public Broadcaster Executives to Resign
Controversy After Supporters Storm Pro-Government Broadcaster
"Reform Through Legislation, Not Violence"

The Student List, a student movement bloc that defeated the long-ruling forces of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in the general election, has made media reform its first priority following its victory. After controversy erupted when some supporters stormed a broadcaster's offices, the bloc distanced itself from the violence and said it would pursue reform through legislation.

Supporters of the “Student List” gather in front of Serbia’s National Assembly on the 26th (local time) to celebrate their victory in the general election. The Student List defeated the ruling bloc of President Aleksandar Vucic in the election held on the 25th. TASS-Yonhap News Agency

According to Bloomberg and AFP on Oct. 27 (local time), the Student List, an opposition organization formed by Serbia's student movement, issued a statement that day demanding the resignations of the president and vice president of public broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), as well as its news director and other officials. The bloc said RTS had deliberately ignored or disparaged anti-government protests and failed to provide adequate critical coverage of government officials.

The Student List said, "Citizens have the right to receive complete, unbiased and timely information on matters of public importance." It added, "It is unacceptable to broadcast without criticism remarks that insult students and citizens because of their views." The bloc also criticized the national broadcasting regulator, REM, for failing to fulfill its role.

AFP reported that RTS did not adequately cover the scenes in which thousands of people celebrated the victory until dawn in various parts of the capital, Belgrade, after President Vucic conceded defeat on election day, Oct. 25. At a public broadcaster in the northern autonomous province of Vojvodina, the editor-in-chief resigned, and a presenter apologized on air, saying, "Public broadcasting has failed to do its job for years. It looked the other way and stayed silent."

However, calls to reform pro-government media sparked controversy after some supporters became involved in physical confrontations. On the night of Oct. 26, dozens of people, including relatives of victims of the Novi Sad tragedy, stormed the offices of Informer TV, a pro-Vucic private broadcaster in Belgrade, and disrupted its programming. Informer TV has faced controversy for its harsh attacks on opposition figures and anti-government protesters.

The Student List said it was not involved in the incident and urged its supporters to exercise restraint. It stressed that "there is no place for conflict or violence" and that it would pursue media reform through legislation, not violence. Civil society and media organizations urged regulators to revoke Informer TV's broadcasting license over violations of broadcasting rules.

The change of government in Serbia stemmed from a disaster in November 2024, when a roof structure collapsed at the railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 16 people. Allegations that corruption and shoddy construction caused the accident helped fuel anti-government protests, led largely by university students. The demonstrations later grew into the largest popular resistance movement since the collapse of Slobodan Milosevic's regime in 2000.

The student movement called for an early general election and defeated the ruling Progressive Party led by President Vucic in the election held on Oct. 25. According to preliminary figures from Serbia's election authorities, the list of candidates backed by the student movement won 52.8% of the vote and is expected to secure about 140 of the 250 seats in parliament. That would give it more than the majority needed to form a government on its own. The final election results will be confirmed after the three-day period for filing objections ends. Once the new parliament is formed, the student movement bloc is expected to nominate a prime minister and begin forming a government.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.