Serbian students see hope for greater freedom in the election

This means the movement's demands are directed not only at a single political office. They concern the interplay of institutions, media and courts, which, according to the students, have until now been too strongly influenced by the ruling party.

The significance of the election is also evident in the personal statements of individual students. Kojčinović said his father no longer believes in the cause and is disappointed: “My father no longer believes in it. He is disappointed with those days”.

Disappointment and hope in personal statements

The generation of university students connects its hope for greater voter turnout with concrete expectations for transparency. Independent media, an independent judiciary and the ability to actually investigate corruption allegations are particularly important.

Belgrade and Novi Sad are identified in the reports as important centers of student engagement. A meeting of Serbian students is also taking place in Vienna, showing that the debate over the political situation is not being held only within Serbia.

The high level of tension is also generating expectations. If many people go to the polls, political change could become more likely, according to the students. The election itself, however, remains the decisive moment at which these expectations can be tested.

The election as a test of broad support

For students, therefore, the election is more than a single date. They see in it an opportunity to build broader support for change and to regain institutional freedoms that, in their view, have suffered under the party's previous influence.

Until election day, it remains unclear how many people will exercise their right to vote and what influence the student movement will have on the result. From their perspective, what is certain is that they are looking to the election with great confidence and expecting political opening.

The stated aims range from control over institutions to media freedom and judicial independence. Through their demands, students are seeking not merely to confine political change to an election result, but also to make it lasting.