SNS signature collection audit October 2025 — The ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has submitted lists with over 200,000 citizen signatures to the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK), just one day after the commission approved forms for the elections scheduled for 25 October 2026. This rapid collection has sparked controversy and a formal audit request from political scientist Boban Stojanović.

Stojanović has asked the RIK to disclose the exact number of authorized verifiers, how many were engaged for the SNS, and the precise location and timing of each validation. Preliminary data he published shows 81.3% of SNS signatures were verified by municipal or city officials with access to personal data, while no public notary validated more than 1,000 signatures. He suspects the use of pre-existing databases to “stamp” signatures, a practice he claims has been used for years.

President Aleksandar Vučić announced the SNS gathered 170,000 signatures in just three hours. In contrast, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) submitted about 21,200 signatures, with 69% verified by municipal/city officials. The opposition and student groups had warned that authorities engaged all available notaries. The Student List collected 70,000 signatures in two days and ranks third for the upcoming elections. Recent changes to the election law, which now allow citizens to endorse multiple lists, have also raised concerns about facilitating “phantom lists.”