Serbia Vote: Half Million Voters Missing Addresses

Approximately 500,000 voters in Serbia are registered without complete street addresses, a gap that has raised fresh questions about the integrity of the parliamentary election scheduled for Monday. The deficiency was identified by an audit conducted by RFE/RL's Balkan Service. These records frequently lack specific street names or house numbers. The review also found hundreds of voters listed at public facilities like social welfare centers, as well as at residential addresses that could not logically accommodate such large numbers of people.

The election pits Aleksandar Vucic, who has led Serbian politics for fourteen years, against a student-led opposition movement. Vucic stepped down as president in late September to avoid seeking a third term. He is now campaigning for the premiership, a role he held from 2014 to 2017. Polls indicate the electorate is deeply split between the ruling coalition and the new opposition. Vladimir Bilcik, a former European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, noted that this is the first election in over a decade with a genuinely uncertain outcome.

The student opposition does not have formal leaders. Their candidate list includes nonpartisan figures such as university professors. Cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic heads the list, though the movement has clarified that his position does not guarantee the premiership if they win. The campaign has focused on corruption, a theme that resonates strongly following the Novi Sad tragedy. On November 1, 2024, a railway station canopy collapsed, killing sixteen people. The disaster sparked nationwide protests alleging corruption at the construction site, which was a flagship project involving Chinese businesses.

Tensions escalated in March 2025 when authorities deployed a sonic weapon against demonstrators. Vucic announced his resignation and the scheduling of early elections after another protest in June. The government claims it has implemented all recommendations from the OSCE's 2023 observation mission. However, an interim report from the OSCE, which has deployed 300 observers, contradicted that assertion. The report highlighted issues in the voter register, noting an increase in eligible voters in Bosnia and Kosovo, regions that are key sources of support for Vucic's Progressive Party among ethnic Serbs.

Four employees of Serbia-funded institutions in Kosovo told RFE/RL that they faced pressure to vote for the ruling party. This practice has also been documented in several Serbian municipalities. The political climate is further complicated by allegations of illegal surveillance. A statement from the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee 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. The opposition blames the authorities for the spying, while government officials have denied targeting their political rivals.

International observers have noted a decline in freedoms in Serbia over the past decade. Some US lawmakers have warned that Moscow may play an active role in the election. The European Parliament has 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 ahead of the ballot. Vucic pledged to maintain his foreign policy course, including his refusal to follow EU calls for sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.