Serbia Reports Record Early Turnout in Student Challenge to Vučić
Early reports put Serbian turnout at 46% by 13:00 GMT, nearly a million votes ahead of the same point in 2023, in a contest between Aleksandar Vučić’s governing party and a leaderless student list. Polls close at 19:00 GMT, with first indications about two hours later. Bulgaria’s presidential polls closed at 18:00 GMT.
The 46% figure comes from preliminary reports that name no electoral body as their source. Commentators suggest a final turnout of 65% or more would favour the students; a Thursday poll had the governing party ahead by 47% to 40%, though others have put the students in front. Zarko Korac, a former deputy prime minister, warned: “if Vučić declares victory this evening, probably late in the evening, I don’t think the students will accept that.” In Bulgaria, among 27 candidates, the incumbent Iliana Iotova led the pro-Western Andrey Gyurov by 41% to 28% in pre-election polling; turnout below 40% was expected, which would force a run-off on 1 November.