Global Wave of Student-Led Movements Unseats Right-Wing Leaders

In Serbia, the Student List movement secured at least 135 seats in the 250-member parliament, effectively ending the decade-long tenure of Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party. The movement coalesced in November 2024 following a deadly train station roof collapse in Novi Sad, which citizens condemned as a byproduct of government negligence and systemic corruption. Led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanović, the coalition ran a diverse ticket of activists, doctors, and athletes to advocate for judicial independence and public accountability. For many, the win represented a profound shift, transforming the very streets once patrolled by gendarmerie into sites of victory.

Simultaneously, Brazil’s runoff election saw Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva overcome a right-wing challenge from Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the imprisoned former president. Fueled by mass student mobilization across cities like Rio de Janeiro, the campaign resisted what supporters described as clear US-backed interference. These outcomes have emboldened observers like Kenneth Roth, who framed the electoral shifts as a vital moment for democracy, potentially setting a precedent for upcoming political contests in Israel and the United States. As voters in these nations head to the polls, the success of these grassroots movements suggests that sustained, organized mobilization remains a potent weapon against authoritarianism.