By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Aleksandar Vucic, the long-standing leader of Serbia, has admitted defeat in a landmark parliamentary election following a major upset by a broad, student-led opposition movement. The victory marks a significant political shift for the Balkan nation, where Vucic had maintained near-total authority for 14 years.
A Historic Victory for the Students' List
The opposition movement, operating under the name "Student List - Students Win," secured a decisive victory. Vucic conceded that his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) projected the youth-backed list would take between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member Parliament, while his party would hold approximately 105 seats. Vucic reported that his party received around 1.7 million votes, compared to the 2.2 million votes garnered by the Students' List.
Celebrations and Unrest in Belgrade
Following the announcement, crowds erupted in celebration across Belgrade and other Serbian cities. Supporters of the Students' List drove through the streets with honking horns, chanting that Vucic was gone. In central Belgrade, demonstrators dismantled fences and tents at a camp previously used by Vucic's loyalists. While the atmosphere was largely celebratory, some tensions surfaced as groups of young people engaged in confrontations with withdrawing police vehicles.
The Catalyst for Change
The student-driven movement gained momentum following a period of intense demonstrations against perceived corruption and authoritarianism. A major turning point occurred in 2024, after a concrete canopy collapse at a train station in Novi Sad killed 16 people, fueling public anger over alleged mismanagement and graft. The Students' List campaign focused on rebuilding the economy and restoring democratic institutions through a non-partisan approach, utilizing experts, athletes, and artists as candidates.
International Reaction and Election Integrity
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated the movement, stating that the high voter turnout would help shape Serbia's future and expressing readiness to support reforms regarding the rule of law and media freedom. Despite the historic turnout, independent election monitors reported various irregularities, including instances of attempted vote buying and pressure on voters through the photographing of ballots.
