Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat to a student-led protest movement in Sunday’s election, ending his dominance of the country’s politics since 2014, Reuters reported.
“It is clear that we have lost these elections, the Student List has won,” Vucic said in a televised speech. Citing preliminary results, he said the students would have between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) would have 105.
Vucic, a populist and nationalist who has served as prime minister or president since 2014, called the snap election in September. It followed almost two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and creeping authoritarianism, triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a railway station canopy collapsed in the city of Novi Sad in 2024.
The result marks a profound political shift in the country of some six million people and recalls the defeat of Hungary’s Viktor Orban in April. It may also offer a blueprint for student movements elsewhere in Europe, which have taken to the streets in recent weeks, in some cases violently, over poor education standards and a lack of prospects.
Celebrations in Belgrade
Within moments of Vucic’s announcement, tens of thousands of people filled Belgrade’s main boulevards. Cars honked, people danced and students shouted “victory” and “he’s done”. A traditional brass band struck up, and revellers released balloons shaped like the number 3, the number of the students’ list.
Speaking for the students at their headquarters, Belgrade University professor Radomir Sajcic said the voice of the people was being heard. “Tonight we celebrate victory, tomorrow we build the future,” he said.
Ilija Srdanovic, the cardiologist who heads the list, was in tears after Vucic conceded. Dejan Soskic, a former central bank governor and Student List candidate, called for order and calm and thanked voters for their civilised conduct during the election.
“We are so happy, I have no words to describe how much,” said Andjela, a student celebrating with friends.
International reaction
European leaders and officials congratulated the Student List, among them European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
“We stand ready to…work together to advance Serbia’s future in the European Union,” von der Leyen wrote on X.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar assured the students of his country’s support.
Record turnout
Long queues formed at polling stations in cities and towns across the country, and Vucic himself waited nearly two hours to vote in Belgrade. Pollsters and the election commission put turnout at close to 70 per cent, the highest since the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1992.
Voter Katarina Petrovic said the turnout did not surprise her, given the large and strong mass of support that had formed over the past two years.
Vucic, who resigned during his second term as president to run again for prime minister, was a strong incumbent, and few in the protest movement had dared to believe he would concede so quickly. His supporters credit him with modernising Serbia’s economy and building new motorways, railways, schools and hospitals.
Vucic said some businessmen and others would leave his party, but insisted its structure was firm and united and that it was used to being in opposition.
Questions over the next government
Much remains unclear about how the student-backed candidates will perform. Their list of 250 largely unknown names includes university professors, actors and farmers.
It is not yet known who will become prime minister and carry out the students’ domestic agenda of rooting out graft and improving schooling. Political analysts predict some form of purge of Vucic allies in the police, security services and ministries. The students have said less about their foreign policy aims.
Like Vucic, they will have to balance relations with China, a major investor, Russia, Serbia’s traditional ally and main supplier of natural gas, and the European Union, its largest trading partner.
“The biggest uncertainty is…who is going to lead the government,” said Radivoje Grujic, a Warsaw-based election consultant. He said it was also unclear who the key ministers would be and how they would deliver on promises to fight corruption, restore the rule of law and re-establish Serbia’s position in foreign policy.
The protest movement
The protests sparked by the station disaster started small but quickly grew into the biggest in a generation, with demonstrators calling for Vucic to step down. Rights groups and activists say repression has worsened since then.
Vucic and the SNS have repeatedly denied accusations of repression, corruption and spying on opponents. Vucic has said the students are funded by foreign agents in Croatia and Montenegro, a charge the students reject.
(Reuters)
