In an interview with the ECPS, Dr. Filip Balunović, Research Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, examines Serbia’s student-led democratic transformation following the October 2026 elections. Arguing that the Students’ List’s parliamentary victory represents more than regime change, he declares that “the idea of a new society has won.” Dr. Balunović explores how a leaderless movement transformed collective grief into political power through nonviolent resistance, grassroots mobilization, and direct democratic practices. He also analyzes how a left-wing populist strategy challenged Vučić’s authoritarian rule while overcoming ideological and ethnic divisions. Yet he cautions that dismantling entrenched oligarchic networks and sustaining participatory democracy remain crucial challenges for Serbia’s democratic future.
Interview by Selcuk Gultasli
Serbia has witnessed an extraordinary political transformation. What began as student-led protests following the deadly Novi Sad railway station collapse in November 2024 evolved into a nationwide movement challenging Aleksandar Vučić’s populist authoritarianism, institutional capture, and entrenched patronage networks. Through decentralized organization, civil disobedience, and unprecedented civic mobilization, students transformed public indignation into electoral power, securing a parliamentary majority in October 2026 and ending fourteen years of SNS dominance. Yet profound questions remain about democratic institutionalization and the durability of this transformation.
In an interview with the European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS), Dr. Filip Balunović, Research Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, and Assistant Professor at Singidunum University’s Faculty of Media and Communications, examines the democratic significance of Serbia’s student-led political transformation. Moving beyond conventional interpretations of electoral alternation, Dr. Balunović argues that the movement represents a more fundamental challenge to personalized authoritarianism and established political representation. As he observes, “This is not merely a regime change,” emphasizing that the movement’s unprecedented success demonstrates that “the idea of a new society has won.”
Central to this transformation, Dr. Balunović explains, was the movement’s capacity to turn collective mourning into political agency. Following the Novi Sad tragedy, students transformed grief into nationwide resistance through nonviolent mobilization, university occupations, grassroots engagement, and direct democratic decision-making. Their leaderless organization challenged conventional assumptions about political leadership, demonstrating what he describes as “an enviable level of democratic maturity.”
The movement also reconfigured the boundaries of political contestation. According to Dr. Balunović, “right-wing populism was challenged through a left-wing populist strategy,” as students mobilized citizens across ideological, ethnic, and religious divisions. Unlike established opposition parties, they reached neglected communities and built political trust through participatory practices rather than charismatic leadership. Their achievement, he suggests, extended beyond electoral victory: “The students transformed grief into joy,” cultivating a collective imagination of a different democratic future.
Nevertheless, the transition from mobilization to governance presents formidable challenges. Entrenched oligarchic networks, institutional capture, and the potential reproduction of personalized leadership threaten the durability of democratic change. Dr. Balunović emphasizes that the movement’s direct democratic practices must continue to shape political accountability beyond the elections.
In sum, Serbia’s experience raises broader questions about democratic renewal and anti-authoritarian resistance. While cautioning that “one size doesn’t fit all contexts,” Dr. Balunović suggests that the Serbian experiment could inspire societies confronting similar challenges. Its significance lies not only in defeating an entrenched ruling party but also in demonstrating that democratic alternatives can emerge through collective political practice, civic solidarity, and the willingness to imagine a different society.
