Student movement wins Serbian parliamentary election, Vučić concedes
The student-led Student List secured a parliamentary majority with roughly 53 % of the vote, translating into 139‑141 seats in the 250‑seat assembly, while incumbent Aleksandar Vučić received just under 40 % and conceded defeat on Sunday evening. The victory ends Vučić’s 12‑year rule as president and prime minister, a tenure that began in 2014. The movement, composed of academics, lawyers, doctors, actors, farmers and musicians, rose from protests sparked by a 2024 Novi Sad train‑station canopy collapse that killed 16 people. The European Commission pledged support for rule‑of‑law reforms.
Key facts
- Student List candidates include former central bank governor Dejan Šoškić and cardiologist Ilija Srđanović.
- The Student List describes Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia and a temporarily occupied territory.
- The Student List rejects previous agreements with Pristina on energy, licence plates and the dinar.
- Tens of thousands celebrated in the streets across Serbia after Vučić’s concession.
- Analysts expect the win to trigger broad anti‑corruption and rule‑of‑law reforms.
Summarised with AI from 5 sourcesRead our AI policy
Why it matters
It could reshape governance in the Western Balkans’ largest economy.
What changed
First published from Meduza, DW, Tagesschau, The Hindu and Hindustan Times