Vucic Concedes Defeat as Student-Led List Wins Serbia Parliamentary Election

Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat on Sunday in Serbia’s snap parliamentary election. He told supporters that the student-backed Students’ List had won, according to Reuters.

“The Students’ List has won,” Vucic said at his party’s election-night event. He said his party’s projections gave the Students’ List between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member parliament, against about 105 for his Serbian Progressive Party, and that no other party had entered parliament. He put the vote totals at about 2.2 million for the Students’ List and about 1.7 million for his party, according to CNN. Final results had not been announced when he spoke.

Crowds poured into the streets of Belgrade and other cities after the announcement. Supporters honked horns and chanted “Aleksandar is gone,” according to CNN. Police in anti-riot gear had cordoned off an area in central Belgrade around the election commission headquarters earlier in the day as tensions built while voting went on.

Protests that began in Novi Sad

Vucic called the snap election in September after almost two years of student-led demonstrations against his government. The protests began after 16 people were killed in 2024 when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad. Protesters blamed the collapse on corruption and graft in the station renovation work.

The Students’ List grew out of that protest movement. It was shaped by university students, but no students actually appeared on its list, according to CNN. Its candidates were little-known experts, athletes, farmers and artists, and its campaign centered on rebuilding the economy and restoring democracy.

Vucic led Serbia for 14 years, first as prime minister from 2014 and then as president from 2017. He resigned the presidency last month to lead his party’s campaign, seeking to become prime minister.

In his concession speech, Vucic blamed Serbia’s independent media, unnamed European countries and an “American deep state” for the loss, according to CNN. He said he would not appeal the result in court and would not leave the country.

Reactions from Europe

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated the Student List on X, writing that the people of Serbia had turned out in record numbers, according to Reuters. Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset welcomed Vucic’s acceptance of the result and his commitment to a peaceful transition, Reuters reported.

Election monitors predicted turnout could reach about 70 percent, a level unseen in Serbia since 2000, according to CNN. Monitors also reported dozens of irregularities on Sunday, including photographing of ballots and attempted vote buying.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters and CNN.