Serbia: Student list celebrates unexpected electoral success and change of power

Student:

»Serbia is free!«

Pure joy on the streets of Belgrade: After the surprisingly clear victory of the student list in the early parliamentary elections in Serbia, great cheers broke out in many cities across the country. Tens of thousands gathered in Belgrade's central Slavija Square alone to celebrate the election success.

Students:

»We are surprised, we didn't think this would happen. It’s literally a miracle.”

»It's unbelievable, we couldn't believe it, but we were actually really hoping for it, so I'm really excited. «

»Unbelievable, it's like a dream. I feel like I should wake up and go to work, but that's not the case - it's reality."

This means that the country is facing a change of power: long-term ruler Aleksandar Vučić has played a key role in determining Serbian politics in various roles since 2012 - and transformed it into an autocracy during the 14 years of his rule. Now he has admitted his defeat in the parliamentary elections.

The protest movement against him arose after the fatal collapse of a train station canopy two years ago, which claimed the lives of 16 people. Critics attributed the disaster to corruption and sloppiness in the Vucic government. The subsequent student protests mobilized broad sections of the Serbian population and aroused the desire for change.

This hope could now be fulfilled. Despite the election victory of the grassroots democratic student list, it is still unclear who will become head of government.