Serbia election: Vucic concedes defeat to student-led movement

The result brings an end to more than a decade of rule by Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). High turnout and growing tension marked a hotly contested parliamentary election that was 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.

Pre-election polls had suggested a tight race between the SNS and the newly formed, youth-backed Students' List, which emerged from a mass student protest movement. By 6:00 p.m. local time, 64.89% of eligible voters had cast their ballots, significantly higher than in previous elections.

Protest origins

The student protest movement was sparked by the deadly collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people. The disaster stirred widespread anger over alleged corruption, poor construction standards and a lack of accountability for public infrastructure projects.

What began with university students staging blockades and marches soon drew support from teachers, farmers and other sections of Serbian society, turning a demand for justice over the disaster into a broader challenge to Vucic's grip on power. The protests have become Serbia's largest movement since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

Political context

Vucic 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. Serbia's constitution prevents him from serving a third presidential term.

Critics have accused Vucic of concentrating power, undermining independent media and weakening democratic institutions. The student movement has sought to channel the energy of street protests into an electoral challenge, presenting itself as an alternative to both the ruling party and Serbia's established opposition.

Regional significance

The election is being closely watched in Europe. Serbia is a candidate for European Union membership, but its accession process has been hampered by concerns over democratic standards and the rule of law. Vucic has maintained close ties with Russia and 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. Cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic heads the Students' List but is neither the movement's leader nor its designated candidate for prime minister.