Serbia’s Vucic concedes defeat as student-led opposition wins parliamentary election
- Celebrations erupted in Belgrade and other cities after the announcement, with crowds dancing, waving flags, honking car horns and chanting “victory.” The Student List’s leading candidate, cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic
- Preliminary projections give the Student List between 135 and 140 seats, following nearly two years of protests triggered by a deadly railway station collapse and concerns over corruption and government accountability.
Serbia’s former president Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat in a closely watched snap parliamentary election, acknowledging a major victory for the student-led opposition movement that mobilized widespread public discontent over corruption and government accountability.
Speaking at the headquarters of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Belgrade late Sunday, Vucic said preliminary results made it clear that his political camp had lost. He estimated that the Student List would secure between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member parliament, compared with around 105 for his party. Final results had not yet been confirmed, according to news agencies.
The election followed nearly two years of student-led protests sparked by the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. The disaster became a focal point for public anger over alleged corruption, negligence and the government’s handling of public affairs. The movement subsequently attracted support from a broad range of voters seeking political change.
Vucic, who resigned as president in September to lead his party’s effort to return to government as prime minister, called the snap election as pressure mounted from the protests. His concession marks a significant setback for the SNS, which has dominated Serbian politics for more than a decade.
Celebrations erupted in Belgrade and other cities after the announcement, with crowds dancing, waving flags, honking car horns and chanting “victory.” The Student List’s leading candidate, cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic, and other campaign representatives described the result as a mandate for change and a chance to build a different future for the country.
The Student List brought together candidates from a range of professional backgrounds, including academics, athletes, farmers and other public figures. Its campaign focused on tackling corruption, strengthening accountability, preventing political loyalists from controlling public enterprises and reducing political influence over public broadcasting.
Turnout was reported at nearly 70 percent, the highest level since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992, reflecting the high stakes of the contest. Long lines were reported at polling stations across the country, as well as at voting locations abroad serving large Serbian communities.
Vucic has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption and accused the student movement of being backed by foreign powers. His government had pledged higher pensions and public-sector salaries, along with increased investment in health care. He also sought to balance Serbia’s ambitions for European Union membership with its established ties to Russia and China.
The election outcome could mark a turning point in Serbian politics, although the final composition of parliament remains subject to official results. The student movement now faces the challenge of translating its broad anti-corruption platform into a governing program and delivering on voters’ expectations.
