Student List cleaned up at Serbia’s parliamentary elections.
asserted
List → clean → elections
So it was only fitting that the morning after a night of raucous celebrations, the movement’s supporters were gathering, bin bags in hand, at Pioneers Park, opposite the national assembly building in Belgrade.
asserted
supporters → gather → Belgrade
For the previous 18 months, this small patch of greenery – with its established trees and playground – had been a no-go zone.
asserted
patch → establish → trees
A pro-government camp known as Ćaciland had taken over the space with convicted criminals living there in white tents, happy to attack journalists, or anyone else who came too close.
asserted
who → know → journalists
Police stood by but did nothing to prevent the violence.
asserted
Police → stand → violence
On election night, it seemed that thuggery might be on the cards again.
uncertain
thuggery → seem → cards
Half an hour before the polls closed, large numbers of masked, black-clad men started gathering in and around Pioneers Park.
asserted
numbers → close → Park
Their intimidating presence gave credence to pre-poll predictions that the governing Serbian Progressive party (SNS) would not hand over power without a struggle.
asserted
party → give → struggle
What happened next took almost everyone by surprise.
asserted
happened → happen → surprise
Shortly after the polls closed – and before any projections of the results had been published – Aleksandar Vučić told supporters at SNS headquarters that they had suffered a comprehensive defeat to the Student List.
asserted
they → close → List
As cheers rang around the heart of Belgrade, he added that he did “not want unrest” or “anything like that on the streets”.
asserted
he → ring → streets
The riot police stood aside and the barriers blocking access to the area around Pioneers Park were removed.
asserted
barriers → stand → Park
The goon squad made a rapid exit – and Student List supporters joyfully ransacked Ćaciland, setting fire to some of the tents.
asserted
supporters → make → tents
But this is not a movement that likes to leave a mess.
asserted
that → like → mess
Over the two years of anti-corruption protests that led to the Student List’s victory, participants have always cleaned up after themselves.
asserted
participants → lead → themselves
So the call went out for volunteers to restore Pioneers Park to something approaching its previous state.
asserted
volunteers → go → state
Hundreds of people answered the appeal and joined municipal workers to remove the remains of Ćaciland.
asserted
Hundreds → answer → Ćaciland
Some dismantled the mangled white tents, while others painstakingly cleaned and disinfected the climbing frames, swings and slides in the children’s playground.
asserted
others → dismantle → playground
Radomir Dalic painstakingly combed over the grass to remove cigarette butts and other rubbish.
asserted
Dalic → comb → butts
Apparently relishing his labours, he said he was overjoyed that the park was finally rid of “criminals with violent intentions towards us”.
asserted
park → relish → us
“Yesterday was a big victory, so today is the smell of freedom,” he added.
asserted
he → add → freedom
“We are in garbage, but it’s the smell of freedom.”
asserted
it → ’ → freedom
Tamara Tomic wore yellow rubber gloves for the occasion – and radiated similar pride in taking part.
asserted
Tomic → wear → part
“Gathering here and cleaning this place just shows that we want to live nicely,” she said.
asserted
she → gather → place
“We want to enjoy the city, enjoy a normal life without violence and without anyone torturing us.”
asserted
anyone → want → us
For now, nobody is asking too many questions about how the Student List will govern.
asserted
List → ask → questions
In fact, Serbian voters have taken something of a leap into the unknown – because this is a movement that operates unlike a traditional political party.
asserted
that → take → party
It has no hierarchy and no leader.
asserted
It → have → hierarchy
Its candidates were chosen by a series of student assemblies, with nominations ranging from academics to athletes, economists to engineers.
asserted
nominations → choose → engineers
The Student List did publish an 11-point plan.
asserted
List → publish → plan
Most of these points deal with anti-corruption measures – ironically, the pitch that secured victory in 2012 for Vučić and the SNS.
asserted
that → deal → Vučić
Other commitments include judicial reform, media freedom, affordable housing and improved access to healthcare, with the promise of “a doctor in every village”.
asserted
commitments → include → village
The Student List went into the elections without naming a candidate for prime minister, let alone a possible cabinet.
asserted
List → go → minister
Kurt Bassuener, co-founder of the Democratization Policy Council, said he was concerned about what that might mean when the euphoria of victory died down, and the serious business of forming a government began.
uncertain
business → say → government
The thinktank chief added: “I’m hoping that there is a dream scenario plan here – they have portfolios and people who have credibility in particular issue areas and they can hit the ground running.
asserted
they → add → ground
Because the danger of a broad coalition like this is that the fissures will show soon after victory.”
asserted
fissures → show → victory
Ilija Srdanović, the candidate ranked first on the Student List, has played down the potential for strife.
asserted
Srdanović → rank → strife
A cardiologist at the university in Novi Sad, the city where a deadly roof collapse sparked the student protests, he has protested alongside the students since the early days.
asserted
he → spark → days
However, he was keen to emphasise that his ranking on the list did not mean he would become prime minister.
asserted
he → emphasise → list
“The student movement is fully democratic,” he said, adding that the aim was to buck Serbia’s history of “creating the cult of personality or leadership”.
asserted
aim → say → personality
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
