Cardiologist Ilija Srdanović leads diplomatic outreach for Serbia Student List

Cardiologist Ilija Srdanović has become the international face of Serbia's Student List movement, Euronews reported on November 6. Srdanović has taken calls from international leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, António Costa, and Andrej Plenković. It remains unclear whether Srdanović will officially emerge as the leader of Serbia's future government. [1][2]

Euronews reported that Srdanović was a little-known professor at the University of Novi Sad until two years ago. The Student List is now winning recognition from European Union institutions and foreign governments as it shifts the political landscape in Serbia. [1]

The Student List was formed by the Students in Blockade movement following a railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people as FTMQ News reported earlier. The list was announced in May 2025 after students demanded early elections, and it comprises 250 academics, professionals, and public figures selected by student plenums. [3][4][5]

The election took place on October 25, 2026, ending the long-standing dominance of President Aleksandar Vučić and the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The Republic Electoral Commission announced final results on November 5 showing that the Student List won an absolute majority of 140 seats out of 250 in the National Assembly, securing 53.69 percent of the vote. [3][4][5]