Half Million Serbian Voters Lack Full Addresses Ahead of October 25 Vote

Approximately 500,000 people registered for the October 25 parliamentary election in Serbia lack complete residential addresses, according to an investigation by RFE/RL's Balkan Service. The records frequently omit street names or house numbers. These data gaps create practical hurdles for voters who must prove their identity and residence at polling stations. The discovery arrives just two days before the nation goes to the polls.

The irregularities extend beyond missing digits. Investigators identified hundreds of voters listed at public facilities, such as social welfare centers. Others were assigned to residential addresses that could not logically house that many people. These findings mirror concerns from the 2023 election. International observers at that time reported the transportation of voters from neighboring Bosnia-Hercegovina and instances of intimidation.

Aleksandar Vucic, who has led Serbian politics for fourteen years, is running for prime minister. He resigned as president in late September to avoid a third term in that role. He held the premiership from 2014 to 2017. His main challenger is a movement born from student protests. This bloc is led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic. The movement states that Srdanovic’s position on the list does not guarantee he will become prime minister if the group wins.

Vladimir Bilcik, a former European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, described the upcoming vote as the first in over a decade with a genuinely uncertain outcome. Polls show the electorate is deeply divided between the ruling coalition and the student opposition. The opposition list includes nonpartisan figures, such as university professors.

The Serbian government claims it has implemented all recommendations from the OSCE regarding the 2023 election. An interim report from the OSCE contradicted this assertion. The organization has deployed 300 observers to Serbia. RFE/RL also noted that the number of eligible voters in Bosnia and Kosovo increased ahead of the vote. These regions are key sources of support for Vucic’s Progressive Party. Four employees of Serbia-funded institutions in Kosovo told RFE/RL they faced pressure to vote for the ruling party.

Tensions have risen due to 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 the Pegasus surveillance software, which is illegal in Serbia, was used in at least sixteen cases in 2026. Government officials denied targeting political rivals.

The election takes place just days before the second anniversary of the Novi Sad tragedy. On November 1, 2024, a renovated canopy at the city's railway station collapsed, killing sixteen people. The disaster triggered nationwide protests alleging corruption at the construction site, a project led by Chinese businesses. The government denied wrongdoing, but police responded to protests with force and arrests. On March 15, 2025, authorities allegedly deployed an unlawful sonic weapon against demonstrators.