Turnout in Serbia's snap parliamentary election reached an estimated 46.4% by 2 p.m. local time on Sunday (October 25), according to an Ipsos/CeSID estimate based on 86.1% of its processed sample, reported by Niš TV and RTCG and carried by Votendi. That compares with 32.2% at the same hour in the December 2023 parliamentary election — a rise of 14.2 percentage points.

Source: Votendi citing Ipsos/CeSID via Nis TV and RTCG, Oct 25

The independent monitoring organisation CRTA, using a separate sample, reported turnout of 41.1% by 1 p.m., compared with 26.6% at that time in 2023. The two monitors' figures come from different samples and should not be read as a single continuous series.

46.4%Estimated turnout by 2 p.m. (Ipsos/CeSID)
32.2%Turnout at same hour in 2023
41.1%CRTA estimate by 1 p.m.
250Seats in Serbia's parliament

Earlier in the day, the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) put turnout at 19.72% by 10 a.m., against 9.94% in 2023, Serbian Monitor reported. Reuters reported unusually long lines at polling stations across the country, and said even Aleksandar Vučić waited in line for nearly two hours to vote. The BBC also reported early indications of record-high turnout.

Source: Reuters via Q106, Oct 25

Attack on monitors reported in Pančevo

The Serbian outlet Mašina reported that a group of masked men attacked election monitors associated with the Student List in Pančevo using pyrotechnic devices, and said several people were struck in the head and police arrived at the scene, according to Votendi's roundup, which said the account was also carried by Vijesti. N1 separately reported footage of masked attackers striking a group of young men near a polling station in Pančevo with metal bars and flares. The identities of the attackers and the full extent of any injuries have not been confirmed by the authorities in these reports, and the accounts are presented here as media reports.

Source: Votendi citing Masina, N1 and Vijesti, Oct 25

N1 also reported that suspected irregularities in Leskovac were referred to prosecutors. The electoral list European Serbia alleged that the ruling SNS had organised the transport of voters from Titel to Belgrade — an allegation by a political participant, reported by N1, which has not been independently verified.

Serbia's ombudsman, Zoran Pašalić, said his office was receiving more calls than during previous elections, in comments carried by FoNet and N1 at around 2:30 p.m. He said many callers were elderly citizens who needed assistance to reach polling stations, while other callers reported possible irregularities.

What the vote is about

The snap election, called by Vučić in September, follows almost two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption, triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in 2024, Reuters reported. Vučić resigned as president to lead his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) list as its candidate for prime minister. Eighteen lists are contesting the 250 seats, and 126 seats are needed for a majority.

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time (1900 GMT). Reuters said first indications of results are expected around two hours after polls close. A turnout estimate is not a vote count and does not show which list is ahead.