Serbian voters face a binary choice in tight parliamentary contest

The parliamentary elections in Serbia are set for Sunday, and the results are expected to be very close. With reliable polls being scarce, the contest pits the country's long-serving leader, Aleksandar Vučić, against a student-led movement that is unlike anything seen in Serbia's relatively short democratic history.

The Student List emerged from almost two years of anti-corruption protests led by young Serbians. These demonstrations began after 16 people died when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad, the country's second city. The movement has no hierarchy or nominated leader. Srdanović tops the list but is not its leader and would not necessarily be the first choice for prime minister if the group won.

The Student List has no single leader and is made up of academics, athletes, economists and engineers, none with a political background. A student at Novi Sad University, who gave only the first name Aleksandra, called that a strength. 'We've gathered people who are actually the best in their fields,' the student said.

Vučić has served as deputy prime minister, prime minister and president since 2012. When he called the snap election last month, he stood down as president to run for prime minister. He keeps strong support among many Serbians, who see him as a strong leader defending national interests, and he can point to significant economic growth and infrastructure improvements over the past decade. He has described the student movement as foreign-backed and bent on trying to 'bring down our state'.