Vucic Concedes Serbia’s Parliamentary Election to Student-Backed List
Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in a parliamentary election on Sunday after results indicated that a student-backed list had won a majority of seats. His concession followed two years of protests that began after a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in 2024, killing 16 people.
Vucic, who has held power as prime minister or president since 2014, called the snap election in September amid demonstrations over alleged corruption and authoritarianism. He resigned to run for prime minister. Vucic said the Student List was projected to win between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament, compared with 105 for his Serbian Progressive Party. The figures were preliminary.
Turnout approached 70 percent, according to pollsters and the election commission, making it the highest since Yugoslavia’s breakup in 1992. Long lines formed at polling stations across the country. After Vucic spoke, crowds celebrated in Belgrade, where students gathered in the streets.
The movement grew from demonstrations over the Novi Sad disaster into a broader campaign for political change. Its candidates include academics, actors and farmers, with cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic leading the list. The group has said it wants to address corruption and improve education, but it has not identified a prospective prime minister.
Questions also remain about its foreign policy. Serbia has extensive economic ties with the European Union and China, while Russia is a longstanding ally and major natural gas supplier. Any new government will need to manage those relationships.
Vucic and his party have denied allegations of corruption, repression and surveillance of opponents. He has accused the student movement of receiving foreign support, which its members deny. In his concession speech, Vucic said his party would remain united in opposition. The election result signals a change in leadership, though the shape of the next government remains uncertain.