Serbia’s long-serving leader Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat in a pivotal election to a student-led opposition movement, marking a significant political shift. Protests fueled by accusations of corruption and democratic backsliding culminated in a historic upset, with Vucic’s party projecting a loss of seats to the youth-backed Students’ List. Celebrations erupted in Belgrade as the results signaled a potential end to Vucic’s 14-year grip on power.
Serbia's dominant strongman leader, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in a pivotal election, marking a significant political shift in the Balkan nation. The vote pitted Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) against a diverse, student-led opposition movement that has been protesting his government for two years.
Vucic, who has held power with nearly absolute authority for 14 years and was endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, had denounced the student movement as a foreign-backed effort to oust him. The highly contested parliamentary election saw high turnout and rising tensions, a direct confrontation between Vucic's ruling party and university students who accused the government of corruption and undermining democracy.
With Serbia's 6.4 million voters electing a 250-member Parliament, Vucic acknowledged that his opponents, the youth-backed Students' List, are projected to secure between 135 and 140 seats, while his SNS party is expected to win around 105. "The Students' List has won," Vucic declared to his supporters, attributing his loss to independent media, alleged interference from unnamed European countries, and an "American deep state."
Belgrade Erupts in Celebration
Vucic stated that his SNS party garnered approximately 1.7 million votes, while the Students' List secured around 2.2 million. Following the announcement, supporters of the Students' List flooded the streets of Belgrade and other cities, celebrating with car horns and chants of "Aleksandar is gone."
The outcome, revealed about an hour and a half after polls closed, followed a day of escalating tensions. Police in riot gear cordoned off areas around the election commission headquarters in central Belgrade, while special police vehicles were positioned near a park where Vucic loyalists had been camping for over a year. Large groups of men were observed gathering across the city.
Protests Over Corruption Lead to Vucic's Fall
Vucic had aimed to transition to the role of prime minister after serving two near-full terms as president, having resigned the presidency the previous month to run for the premier position. Public support for the populist leader had waned significantly since a tragic incident in 2024, where 16 people died due to the collapse of a concrete canopy at a train station in Novi Sad. This event triggered a wave of youth protests, attributing the disaster to high-level corruption, cronyism, and rampant graft during the station's renovation.
Despite the protests, Vucic maintained substantial support among many Serbian voters, who viewed him as a capable leader navigating global uncertainties – an image carefully cultivated by the mainstream media.
Student Movement's Impact
While Vucic, often characterized as increasingly authoritarian, had historically outmaneuvered Serbia's fragmented opposition, the leaderless youth movement presented an unprecedented challenge, shaking his grip on power after 14 years. The newly formed Students' List movement, though shaped by university students, did not feature actual students on its election list. Instead, its candidates comprised lesser-known experts, athletes, farmers, and artists.
This strategy aimed to counter Vucic's centralized rule and foster a sense of community and solidarity. The students' campaign message focused on a non-partisan effort to revitalize Serbia's economy and restore its democracy. Leveraging youthful energy, they connected with voters disillusioned with traditional politicians. Despite being vilified by pro-government media, they engaged in extensive grassroots campaigning, cycling and walking across the country to reach voters in Vucic's traditional strongholds in rural areas.
The student victory mirrors the recent electoral defeat of an ally of Vucic in Hungary, where youth participation was instrumental in ousting autocrat Viktor Orbán after 16 years and ushering in a new pro-European government. This outcome is likely to reverberate beyond Serbia, as countries across Europe grapple with widespread youth and student protests.
EU Closely Watched the Vote
Monitors anticipated a total voter turnout of around 70%, a figure not seen in Serbia since 2000. Long queues were observed at polling stations throughout the day, both within Serbia and in international cities. Some members of the Serbian diaspora faced challenges voting in the middle of the night due to voting hours being tied to local Serbian time.
Recent Serbian elections have been marred by irregularities, and the European Union was closely monitoring the conduct of Sunday's vote in a country aspiring for EU membership. Independent election monitors reported numerous irregularities, including instances of voters photographing their ballots, suggesting pressure, and attempts at vote buying.
Both international and local election monitors had previously expressed concerns regarding the safety and fairness of the campaign, which was characterized by detentions, near-total government control over media, and reports of surveillance and cyberattacks targeting activists. Local elections earlier this year in 10 Serbian municipalities were marked by violent attacks on journalists and activists, and the 2023 parliamentary vote was followed by opposition protests alleging fraud.
