500,000 Serbian Voter Records Lack Complete Addresses Before October 25 Vote

Approximately 500,000 voters in Serbia are registered without a complete street address or house number. This data gap was identified by the Balkan Service of RFE/RL in a review of the electoral register. The incomplete records are set to be used in parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25.

Aleksandar Vucic, who has led Serbian politics for fourteen years, is running for prime minister. He resigned as president in late September to avoid a third term in that office. Vucic previously held the prime minister role from 2014 to 2017. His main challengers are a student-led opposition movement that emerged from recent nationwide protests.

The integrity of the upcoming ballot has drawn intense scrutiny. RFE/RL investigators found hundreds of voters listed at public facilities such as social welfare centers. Other records show high concentrations of residents at single addresses that could not logically accommodate that many people. These irregularities mirror concerns raised by international observers during the 2023 election. That vote included reports of voters being transported from neighboring Bosnia-Hercegovina and instances of intimidation.

The election occurs days before the second anniversary of the Novi Sad railway station tragedy. On November 1, 2024, a renovated canopy collapsed and killed sixteen people. The disaster triggered protests fueled by corruption allegations regarding a construction project led by Chinese businesses. The government denied wrongdoing, but police used force against demonstrators. On March 15, 2025, authorities allegedly used a sonic weapon against peaceful protesters. Vucic announced his resignation and early elections following further student demonstrations in June.

Vladimir Bilcik, a former European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, described the October 25 contest as the first in over a decade with a genuinely uncertain outcome. Current polling shows the electorate is deeply divided. The student opposition candidate list is headed by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. The movement states that his position does not guarantee a premiership if they win. The list consists largely of nonpartisan figures, including university professors.

The Serbian government claims it implemented all recommendations from the OSCE after criticism of the 2023 election. However, an interim report from the OSCE contradicted this assertion. The organization has deployed 300 observers to Serbia. RFE/RL also noted an increase in eligible voters from Bosnia and Kosovo ahead of the vote. These regions are considered key sources of 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 complicated the political climate. A US Senate Foreign Relations Committee statement on October 21 cited reports of illegal monitoring of opposition members. Research by the Serbian nonprofit SHARE and Toronto University researchers alleged that at least sixteen cases of the Pegasus surveillance software were used in 2026. Pegasus is illegal in Serbia. Government officials have denied targeting political rivals, while the opposition blames the authorities for the spying.

International observers have noted a decline in freedoms in Serbia over the past decade. This trend is confirmed by the latest Freedom House report. US lawmakers have warned that Moscow may play an active role in the election. European Parliament officials have raised concerns about Russian influence operations. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson stated that Russia is deploying resources to monitor and disrupt Serbian citizens and the student movement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally expressed support for Vucic.

During the campaign, Vucic pledged to maintain his foreign policy course. This includes his refusal to follow EU calls for sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The student movement has focused primarily on fighting corruption. The group has also opposed sanctions and reiterated support for Belgrade's stance of not recognizing Kosovo's independence. Serbia's progress in EU integration has stalled, with no new accession chapter opened since late 2021. Democratic backsliding, unresolved relations with Kosovo, and the refusal to sanction Russia are cited as the main reasons for this impasse.