Serbia's longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat to a student-led movement in the country's parliamentary elections on Sunday in what represents a seismic political shift.
High turnout and growing tension marked a hotly contested parliamentary election that tuned into a showdown between the Balkan country's longtime leader and a diverse movement of university students who have led protests against him for almost two years.
The result brings an end to more than a decade of rule by Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Pre-election polls had suggested a tight race between the SNS and the newly formed, youth-backed party Students' List, which emerged from a mass student protest movement.
Ilija Srdanovic, a physician who leads the student movement's list of 250 candidates, said after the results came in that "We are moving toward a more-civilized and better Serbia."
Vucic: 'It is clear that we lost these elections'
"Based on a stratified sample, it is clear that we lost these elections," Vucic said as he addressed supporters at SNS headquarters in Belgrade.
In his concession speech, Vucic said projections had the youth-backed Students' List taking between 135 and 140 seats, whereas the SNS was projected to win around 105.
Vucic blamed Serbia's independent media for the loss, while also alleging interference from unnamed European countries and the "US deep state," which he claimed, without elaborating, is also "against President [Donald] Trump." Vucic also has maintained close ties with Russia and President Vladimir Putin throughout his tenure.
Celebrations erupted on the streets of the capital as soon as Vucic conceded defeat. Passing cars honked and crowds began to party near the election commission's headquarters.
At Students' List headquarters, supporters cried tears of joy, cheering, hugging and chanting — "Victory! Victory!"
What is Serbia's student protest movement
Sunday's result is the culmination of nearly two years of protests after the deadly collapse of a train station canopy in the city of Novi Sad in 2024.
The disaster killed 16 people and stirred widespread anger over alleged corruption, poor construction standards and a lack of accountability for public infrastructure projects.
Protesters accused the government of allowing corruption and political patronage to undermine public safety, allegations authorities have rejected.
Demonstrations demanding accountability have ultimately snowballed into a movement larger than anything Serbia has experienced since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
What began with university students staging blockades and marches soon drew support from teachers, farmers and other segments of Serbian society, turning demands for justice over the disaster into a broader challenge to Vucic's grip on power.
Vucic's tough election challenge
SNS won parliamentary elections in 2012 and has dominated Serbian politics ever since. Vucic himself first came to power as prime minister in 2014 before becoming president in 2017.
After calling snap elections last month, he stepped down as president to run for prime minister.
His second presidential term was due to expire in May 2027, and Serbia's constitution prevents him from serving a third term.
Critics have accused him of concentrating power, undermining independent media and weakening democratic institutions. He and his party deny the allegations.
The student movement has managed to channel the energy of the street protests into an electoral challenge the likes of which neither Vucic and his ruling party nor Serbia's established opposition has ever seen.
Serbia's election commission put turnout at nearly 70%, the highest since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992.
Serbia vote draws EU attention
The election was closely watched in Europe, where Serbia is a candidate for European Union membership.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated the Students' List on their victory. "We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions, and to work together to advance Serbia's future in the European Union," von der Leyen said on X.
Vucic has also refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
The vote comes six months after Peter Magyar's victory in Hungary, when he defeated Vucic's ally, Viktor Orban. Magyar congratulated Serbia’s student-led Students’ List on its victory in a post on X.
Serbia's bid to join the European Union has been hampered by concerns over democratic standards and the rule of law. But the election result has prompted a positive response from another European, non-EU institution — the Council of Europe.
"The Council of Europe stands ready to work with Serbia’s democratically elected leadership to strengthen human rights, democracy and the rule of law," the organization’s Secretary-General Alain Berset said on X.
