Serbia’s October Vote Could Mirror Georgia’s Post-Election Crackdown, Analysts Warn

On Oct. 25, Serbia will hold elections that could return Aleksandar Vucic to the premiership and extend the Serbian Progressive Party’s long tenure. A newly formed Students’ List, born from protests sparked by the 2024 Novi Sad canopy collapse, seeks parliamentary representation. The Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability reported that the ruling coalition monopolized 75% of TV airtime, with Vucic himself receiving 60%.

The OSCE’s interim report highlighted unresolved voter-registration issues and ongoing intimidation. Observers draw parallels to Georgia’s 2024 contested vote, after which Georgian Dream enacted foreign-agent legislation, jailed opposition leaders and froze civil-society funding. Serbian officials have already hinted at similar foreign-agents measures and have been accused of spyware use. Analysts warn that a manipulated result could justify harsher protest laws and call for coordinated Western sanctions if systematic fraud or repression occurs.