In the electoral battlegrounds of Belgrade, Serbian students bring back the radical spirit of the poem “Marija Ručara (Marija the Washerwoman)” by Aleksandar Vučo and Dušan Matić. The poem was published in 1935 but continues to resonate in contemporary bourgeois times in Serbia and beyond. The leaderless student struggle, led by the “Student List—Students Win”, and its victory in the recently concluded elections in Serbia have rekindled the history of the subversive culture of Serbian politics and society, which has witnessed many radical insurgencies, successful revolutions, and struggles for freedom. The Serbian rebels defeated not only the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires but also the Serbian monarchy to achieve national liberation and radical social change.
The revolutionary lineages of Serbian history guide present-day student politics, which defeated the fourteen-year authoritarian regime of the Aleksandar Vučić government. The students of Serbia have achieved the politically unthinkable—and yet pragmatic—in their approach to leadership and governance, based on an idealism that shapes and guides their programme, which promised “institutions that can function without orders from party headquarters: a judiciary where the law does not depend on who stands before it, public finances subject to citizen oversight, education and healthcare systems the state does not treat as a burden, media outlets that can operate free from political pressure, and local self-government where citizens genuinely participate in the decisions that shape their lives.” These ideals resonate beyond the borders of Serbia in the effort to reclaim democratic governance by deepening democratic institutions, practices, and policies by the people. This youthful idealism of Serbian students truly reflects the values of a democratic government that represents the voice of the people. The student movement did not merely defeat authoritarian power; it also provided an eleven-point governance programme to bring back people’s democracy and democratic governance based on following plans.
i) It promises to free the courts and the prosecutor’s office from political influence by establishing special prosecutorial police that will work independently to ensure justice and governance free of crime and corruption. It truly reflects the campaign slogan “Serbia or Mafia.”
ii) It argues for strengthening institutions for transparency in tax and audit administration so as to confiscate embezzled public funds and return illegally acquired assets to state budgets.
iii) It intends to empower the State Audit Institution (DRI) to ensure full transparency in public procurement and regular audits of state contracts and public tenders.
iv) It promises to free the media, an independent press council, and the public broadcaster (RTS) from political control and to ensure journalistic ethics and accountability, so that knowledge and information become power.
v) It promises to abolish political patronage in recruitment, competition, and appointments to ensure a system based on merit rather than cronyism.
vi) It promises to develop and ensure accessible, quality education based on critical thinking and practical skills in curricula that reflect the needs and aspirations of people in the twenty-first century.
vii) It promises to create conditions for the growth of a knowledge-based economy that empowers domestic entrepreneurs and farmers by providing substantial grants and subsidies for innovation and startups.
viii) It promises permanent employment and a no-hire-and-fire policy to ensure job security that boosts productivity and enables participation in a globally competitive economy.
ix) It promises to end the exploitative import lobby and market monopoly to ensure food security by protecting agriculture, land, and water resources.
x) It promises affordable housing, affordable rental and lease-to-own options, and tax incentives for young families to secure housing.
xi) It promises a doctor and medical facilities in every village to ensure available, accessible, and affordable health care, especially in rural and underdeveloped areas.
The Novi Sad tragedy gave rise to a student-led, youthful political movement that shows positive potential to change Serbia’s political destiny and economic conditions by implementing the above eleven-point plans and policy directions. The Serbian student movement shows that collective leadership can be an alternative to parochial party politics dominated by a two-party system that represents the class interests of corporate capitalists at the expense of working people.
The Serbian revolution was not only the first to abolish feudalism and serfdom in the country but also planted the constitutional and democratic spirit of working people, which has laid the foundation for a victorious and inspiring student movement that is changing the nature of the state and government in Serbia today. The progressive nature of the people’s democracy established by the collective leadership of the student movement has positive and radical ramifications beyond Serbia’s borders.
Student movements from Bangladesh and Nepal to France and Serbia are changing the political landscape of electoral democracy, but the Serbian student movement provides a concrete plan of action to govern the country, empower Serbians, and deepen democracy and citizenship rights. After the electoral victory, Serbian students are rewriting and renewing the promises of radical democratic state and government that works for the people. It is a cause for celebration as Serbian students provide hope amidst a crisis ridden world of brutal capitalism and barbaric imperialism.
