By Basant El-Faramawy
Serbia has entered a new political era after Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat to a historic student-led protest movement during Sunday's snap elections. The results mark the end of Vucic's long period of dominance in the country's politics.
Student Movement Secures Parliamentary Majority
Following preliminary results, Vucic announced that the 'Student List - Students Win' would secure between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament, while his party would hold 105 seats. Pollsters from CESID-IPSPS provided a similar projection, estimating the student list would win 138 deputies and Vucic's SNS party would secure 104 seats, with the remaining seats going to ethnic minority parties.
High Voter Turnout and Public Celebration
Voter turnout reached nearly 70 percent, the highest participation rate recorded since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. As news of the defeat spread, crowds in Belgrade celebrated in the streets with chants and car horns. Radomir Sajcic, a professor at Belgrade University representing the students, stated that the people's voice was being heard and that the focus would now shift toward building the future.
Background of the Protests
The snap elections were held following nearly two years of student-driven demonstrations. These protests were fueled by concerns over perceived corruption and authoritarianism, gaining significant momentum after a tragic train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in 2024, which resulted in 16 deaths.
