Serbia's Vucic Admits Defeat as Student-Led List Wins Historic Election

Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat to a student-led protest movement in a snap election held on Sunday, ending his long grip on power and opening a new political chapter for the Balkan country.

Celebrations broke out across Belgrade once Vucic made his announcement. Cars sounded their horns, and students chanted "victory" and "he's done."

The vote followed almost two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and creeping authoritarianism. The protests were set off by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in the city of Novi Sad in 2024.

Speaking for the students at their headquarters, Belgrade University professor Radomir Sajcic said: "Dear Serbia, tonight the voice of the people is being heard." He added: "Tonight we celebrate victory, tomorrow we build the future."

Turnout reached nearly 70 per cent, the highest since the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1992. Long lines formed outside polling stations in cities and towns across the country on Sunday, a sign of a widespread desire for change.

Basing his projection on preliminary results, Vucic acknowledged the outcome. "It is clear that we have lost these elections, the Student List has won, they will have between 135 and 140 seats and we will have 105, no one else has entered parliament," he said.

A representative sample compiled by the CESID-IPSPS pollsters pointed to a similar result. It showed the students' candidate list taking 138 deputies, while Vucic's SNS party won 104 seats in the 250-seat parliament. The remaining seats will be shared among parties representing ethnic national minorities.

On the streets of Belgrade, a woman identified only as Tanja described her emotions as the results sank in. "Unbelievable happiness and joy and we have finally got rid of this mafia. I am so happy I cannot speak," she said.