Serbia's Student Movement Wins Snap Election as Vucic Concedes Defeat

Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election, losing to a student-led protest movement. The result ends his long hold on power in the Balkan country and opens a new political chapter. After his announcement, people in Belgrade poured into the streets, with cars honking and students chanting "victory" and "he's done".

The vote followed almost two years of student-led demonstrations against alleged corruption and creeping authoritarianism. The protests were triggered by a 2024 disaster in the city of Novi Sad, where the collapse of a railway station canopy killed 16 people.

Results and turnout

Turnout reached nearly 70%, the highest since Yugoslavia's break-up in 1992. Long lines formed at polling stations in cities and towns across Serbia.

Basing his projection on preliminary results, Vucic said the Student List would win between 135 and 140 seats and his side 105. A representative sample by pollsters CESID-IPSPS showed the students' list with 138 deputies and Vucic's SNS party with 104 in the 250-seat parliament. The remaining seats will go to ethnic minority parties.

Radomir Sajcic, a Belgrade University professor, spoke for the students: "Tonight we celebrate victory, tomorrow we build the future."

Tension on election day

Tension rose during the day. Police in riot gear cordoned off an area of central Belgrade around the election commission headquarters, and local media reported several violent incidents around the country. A student representative urged people to stay calm.

Vucic himself queued with his wife for nearly two hours before voting. He said his party would respect the result.

Wider context

The students' win echoes the recent defeat of a Vucic ally in Hungary, where youth participation helped remove Viktor Orban after 16 years in power.