Serbia's Vučić concedes defeat to student-led movement in historic election
Editorial illustration — Press Pass USASerbia's longtime leader Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat Sunday in snap parliamentary elections, ending his grip on power after more than a decade as a student-led opposition movement won a projected majority in parliament.
"We still do not have final results, on the basis of a sample it is clear that we have lost these elections, the Student List has won," Vučić said in a televised speech, projecting that the youth-backed Students' List will take between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member parliament, while his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) will hold around 105.
Within moments of the announcement, tens of thousands of people poured onto Belgrade's main boulevards in celebration, waving flags and chanting "victory" and "he's done," according to reports from the capital. At the Students' List headquarters, candidates hugged and cheered in disbelief. "The people have won! The people defeated a dictator! The people will lead Serbia!" one supporter shouted on the street.
Vučić, who has dominated Serbian politics as prime minister or president since 2014 and was endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, blamed the loss on Serbia's independent media and alleged interference by unnamed European countries and an "American deep state." He said he would not flee the country and would not challenge the result in court, saying he wanted to avoid "unrest and clashes in the streets."
The snap election, called by Vučić in September, followed nearly two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and creeping authoritarianism, triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024. The students grew into the greatest threat Vučić had faced since taking power.
"Tonight is a victory of courage over fear, and of faith that Serbia can and must be different," said Radomir Sajcic, a chemistry professor at the University of Belgrade who ran as a Students' List candidate. "Dear Serbia, tonight the voice of the people is being heard."
European leaders welcomed the outcome. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated the Students' List, noting that Serbians turned out in record numbers, and Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset welcomed Vučić's acceptance of the result and commitment to a peaceful democratic transition. The Students' List — 250 candidates, many of them lawyers, professors, actors and farmers — now faces the task of forming a government.
Sources: Reuters (Oct 25, 2026); CNN (Oct 25, 2026); The Times (Oct 25, 2026).
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