Serbia's strongman leader Vucic concedes defeat to student-led movement in seismic political shift

A seismic shift in Serbian politics

This victory marks a major turning point in a Balkan country where Vucic, backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and who described the student movement as an external attempt to oust him, has exercised near-absolute power for 14 years.

Immediately after the results were announced, crowds of citizens flooded the streets of Belgrade and other Serbian cities, erupting in euphoric celebration. The parliamentary election, marked by high turnout and heightened tensions, was a direct confrontation between Vucic and the Serbian Progressive Party on one side, and the students on the other. The students, accusing the government of corruption and the destruction of democracy, had built a popular base across the country.

Celebrations and police presence

The 6.4 million Serbian voters chose parliamentarians for a 250-seat legislature. In his concession, Vucic stated that his party projects that its rivals, the Student List, will secure between 135 and 140 seats, while his SNS party will have approximately 105 seats. The Student List has won, Vucic told his supporters at the election night event, though he attributed the loss to independent media in Serbia, alleged interference from unnamed European countries, and a deep statein the United States.

In Belgrade, Student List supporters drove through the city in cars, singing, shouting, and chanting: „Aleksandar is gone,”referring to Vucic. Crowds quickly dismantled the barricades and tents in a central Belgrade park, where Vucic's supporters had camped for over a year and had gathered earlier on Sunday. The result, announced by Vucic just an hour and a half after polling stations closed, followed a series of tensions that intensified as voting progressed during the day.

From tragedy to triumph

Police, equipped with riot gear, blocked off an area in central Belgrade around the electoral commission's headquarters. Special police vehicles were visible near the pro-Vucic camp, and large groups of men dressed in black gathered at various points in the city.

Protests against corruption led to Vucic's downfall. Ilija Srdanovic, top of the Student List – Students Winelectoral list, celebrates after the initial results of the parliamentary elections in Belgrade, Serbia, on October 25, 2026. Photo by Djordje Kojadinovic/Reuters. Vucic was seeking the prime ministerial post after serving nearly two full terms as president. He resigned from the presidency last month to lead the campaign.

Support for this populist leader waned after 16 people were killed in 2024 when a concrete roof collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad. This incident triggered a wave of youth protests accusing high-level corruption, cronyism, and bribery during the station renovation works. Dijana Hrka, mother of one of the victims, was in the crowd celebrating in Belgrade. Crying, Hrka told N1 television: I have waited for this moment for two years. Now I expect everyone to be held accountable,she added.

The nature of the opposition

Although the protests were intense, Vucic retained considerable support among many Serbian voters. His admirers viewed him as a capable leader who could guide the nation through global uncertainties — an image carefully crafted by the mainstream press. While Vucic, increasingly authoritarian, had previously defeated a fragmented opposition in Serbia, the leaderless youth movement proved to be a tough opponent that shook his firm grip on power in Serbia more than anyone else in the 14 years since his party took power.

The Student List movement, formed recently, was modeled by university students, but none of them appeared on the electoral list. Instead, its candidates are little-known experts, athletes, farmers, and artists. This approach was designed to counter single-man leadership and restore a sense of community and solidarity.