Violence spurred students to action: “Put life on hold”
Senka Pejic helped launch the Serbian student movement—but she does not want to be photographed. “For us, it has been important that there is no leader, no single face representing us,” she says. Photo: Lars Schröder/TT
Following the surprising election result in Serbia, the outside world is asking: can the student movement transition from protests to politics? Student Senka Pejic was involved from the very beginning—she even lived on university grounds for an entire year. She has no doubts.
“I believe this way of organizing will become the new normal.”
Serbian society has been shaken to its core after the newly formed “Student List” succeeded in winning the election against Aleksandar Vučić’s right-wing nationalist party, the SNS, on October 25.
Film student Senka Pejic was among those who initiated the first protests; she believes many were caught off guard by the students’ victory.
“No one understood us—perhaps because we didn’t fit into any established category for political actors. We didn’t have much international support, but now that we’ve shown what we’re capable of, many are interested,” she says, admitting that the situation is overwhelming.
“It’s confusing and surprising to be sitting here talking about this,” she says during a visit to Stockholm, organized by the organization Civil Rights Defenders.
Weakened
The Student List’s victory over Vučić has already shifted the balance of power. Police officers loyal to the regime have been detained, and in many places, there is a flurry of activity as attempts are made to cover up traces of corruption. Among other actions, a bank with ties to the ruling party has been shut down.
“Vučić is getting weaker by the day. His entire criminal regime is collapsing on its own now—and we aren’t even in power yet,” says Senka Pejic.
Combating corruption has been the primary goal of the “Student List” and the catalyst for the protests. After the roof of a newly constructed train station in Novi Sad collapsed in 2024—claiming 16 lives—demands grew for those responsible to be held accountable. Senka Pejic took part in actions under the banner “Serbia Comes to a Standstill,” which involved holding a fifteen-minute moment of silence in the streets to honor the victims. She believes that the police violence they encountered on that occasion was the spark that truly ignited the protests.
“We were intercepted by a group sent by the ruling party to disperse us; they were extremely violent and injured two of us. Plainclothes police officers were also present, but they did nothing to stop them.”
Life at the universities
In response to the police violence, Senka Pejic and her fellow students decided to occupy the university, where they ended up living for an entire year. “We moved in and brought our mattresses with us. Neighbors from the area cooked food and brought it over to us. We made decisions through direct democracy, voting by raising our hands in the assembly hall—that’s how it all began,” she recalls.
Senka Pejic notes that what distinguished the student protests in Serbia was precisely how they organized themselves. Everyone was assigned areas of responsibility; they held regular general assemblies and made decisions through voting. The model spread rapidly—not only to every university, but also among legal professionals, the elderly, and local neighborhood groups.
“The most important participants were people from our own neighborhoods, who organized themselves into civic assemblies. Everyone held their own meetings and linked up into networks. I believe the solidarity that emerged from this is the key to our success.”
Organizing is also the advice she offers to other student movements in Europe that wish to bring about change.
“We also fought against police violence, yet our protests always remained peaceful. Otherwise, you just end up back at square one.”
The Importance of Accountability
Entering the parliamentary system, however, is no simple step for the “Student List.” They have deliberately avoided having clear leaders—initially out of fear, and later as a way to distribute power. Now, with the selection of ministers, they must finally show where they stand.
“Everything is still very new, but we are working to form a government. After that, corruption is the first thing we must tackle; then, everything else will fall into place.” However, critics point out that there are various ways to combat corruption. Furthermore, the "Student List" has yet to clarify its stance on foreign policy—specifically regarding closer ties to the EU and the imposition of sanctions against Russia, a country with which Serbia has historically maintained close relations. Senka Pejic does not consider herself the right person to address this, noting that the movement’s model relies on experts handling their respective fields.
The students intend to continue working in close dialogue with the candidates. However, their goal is not to hold power for 30 years; rather, their primary objective is to restore democracy, emphasizes Senka Pejic.
She herself was ten years old when Vucic’s party, the SNS, came to power in 2012, and for her, this struggle has meant everything.
“We put our lives on hold to fight for the future. I don’t think I will ever feel as intensely as I did when we won.”
Facts
The Student List’s path forward
The Student List consists of 250 candidates chosen by students and nominated by universities. At the top of the list is cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. The list also includes philosophers, actors, and a former governor of the National Bank of Serbia.
None of the candidates have prior political experience—a fact viewed as an advantage. They were all selected for their high level of education and for the integrity they have demonstrated within the institutions where they work.
The student movement aims to strengthen the country’s institutions, which they argue have been populated by the government with politically compliant individuals. In doing so, they hope to pave the way for democracy in the country.
The movement seeks to implement several domestic policy reforms, such as the establishment of a new, independent police force. They also intend to purge the police of officers linked to organized crime.
As of yet, they have not announced a specific foreign policy stance.
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