German and Swiss media: Historic victory for students, but stance towards Kosovo and Russia remains a concern

The German newspapers Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Süddeutsche Zeitung, as well as the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, have analyzed the election result in Serbia, focusing on the causes of Vučić's loss, expectations for the Student List, and the difficulties that may arise during governance.

According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), it had been clear for months that the student movement could seriously challenge Vučić's power, but winning an absolute majority of parliamentary seats constitutes an extraordinary result.

The German newspaper estimates that the Student List took advantage of widespread dissatisfaction in Serbian society and the desire for change after more than a decade of Vučić's political dominance.

According to FAZ, many citizens were tired of Vučić's constant presence in the media, his lengthy television appearances, dramatic rhetoric, and the way his party exercised power.

The newspaper emphasizes that the main promise of the student movement is the construction of a Serbia without corruption, also drawing a comparison with Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.

According to her, although Kurti has failed to fulfill all expectations in Kosovo, he continues to enjoy popularity due to his perception as an uncorrupted politician.

FAZ asks whether a similar approach, based primarily on the fight against corruption, could also work for the Student List in Serbia.

However, the newspaper emphasizes that the first challenge will be to free state institutions from the political influence of Vučić's party.

According to her, the electoral victory has created the preconditions for such a process, while an important success would be the organization of new elections under freer and more democratic conditions.

Meanwhile, Süddeutsche Zeitung warns that Serbia is entering a period of political uncertainty, as it is still unknown who will lead the next government.

The newspaper recalls that the Student List, led during the elections by doctor Ilija Srdanović, mainly includes university professors, artists and entrepreneurs. Srdanović himself had stated before the elections that he intended to return to his profession, without confirming whether he would accept the post of prime minister.

According to the German newspaper, regardless of the composition of the government, it will face an extremely difficult task: fighting widespread corruption, cracking down on criminal groups, and dismantling the clientelistic system built during Vučić's rule.

The Süddeutsche Zeitung describes a system in which the ruling party's influence extended from educational institutions to the media, the prosecution, the police, the intelligence services and the judiciary.

But the newspaper warns that a change of power does not necessarily mean a change in Serbia's foreign policy.

Analyzing the Student List's political program, which contains more than 50 pages, she points out that some of the movement's stances may not be well received by Belgrade's European partners.

In particular, the newspaper focuses on the stance towards Kosovo, emphasizing that the Student List continues to support Serbia's claims over its territory.

"In foreign policy, for example, the fiction that Kosovo still belongs to Serbia is insisted on," writes Süddeutsche Zeitung.

The newspaper notes that the student movement's program emphasizes the importance of relations with the European Union, but at the same time advocates maintaining ties with Russia and opposes supporting European sanctions against Moscow.

According to her, it remains to be seen how these programmatic positions will be translated into concrete policy, as the reality of governance often differs from the promises made during the campaign.

Even the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) raises questions about the Student List's ability to meet the expectations created after the electoral victory.

According to the NZZ, the student movement attempted to completely break away from the existing political system, rejecting alliances with traditional parties and building a heterogeneous list to ensure the broadest possible support.

However, the newspaper emphasizes that this strategy also included the use of nationalist tones, which continue to be present in Serbian society, while the movement's positions on foreign policy remained unclear.

NZZ notes that the Student List chose not to rely on experienced politicians, while its main candidate, Ilija Srdanović, has no previous political experience.

According to the newspaper, what constituted an advantage during the protests and election campaign could turn into difficulties during governance, when the movement will have to make concrete decisions and confront inherited power structures.

The Swiss newspaper emphasizes that Vučić and his associates have been in power for almost a decade and a half and have built deep connections within state institutions.

According to NZZ, the roots of this system go beyond the Vučić period, also being linked to the political legacy of the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the wars in the Balkans, and the government of Slobodan Milošević.

For this reason, the newspaper estimates that the success of the Student List will depend on the ability to sever these ties and fulfill the promises to combat nepotism, strengthen the rule of law, and improve the educational and social system.

In general, the three European newspapers treat the Student List's victory as an important development for democracy in Serbia, but at the same time warn that the change of power is only the beginning of a much more difficult process.

While the fight against corruption and institutional reform constitute the main expectations for the next government, attitudes towards Kosovo, relations with Russia, and the willingness to break away from nationalist policies remain among the issues that will determine Serbia's future political direction.

The GeoPost