In brief
In a historic turn, Serbian voters awarded a landslide 52.7% to the Student List, ending the long rule of Aleksandar Vučić. Celebrations exploded in Belgrade, Novi Sad and cities across the country as crowds danced and chanted. The movement, born from a 2024 railway disaster, unites doctors, artists and academics. Analysts say the victory opens a door to EU accession talks while reshaping Serbia’s political landscape.
Serbia’s long‑standing leader Aleksandar Vučić conceded after preliminary results showed the student‑led movement, the Student List, had secured a surprising 52.7 % of the vote in last‑night’s snap parliamentary elections.
Dielectric celebrations erupted in the capital Belgrade, the northern city of Novi Sad and throughout the country as people poured into the streets, danced and chanted “victory.” Fireworks and honking cars added to the jubilant atmosphere.
The Student List, formed less than two years ago in reaction to a 2024 tragedy at Novi Sad’s railway station that claimed 16 lives, fielded candidates drawn from all strata of Serbian society – doctors, actors, academics and sports figures – creating a cross‑sectional coalition.
Vučić, who had served as president for two terms and could not seek a third, now conceded that “the early results make it clear our party has lost.” With 97 % of polling stations counted, the Student List’s 2.25 million votes outpaced the Serbian Progressive Party’s 1.67 million.
“We have freed the country from tyranny,” said Student List lead Ilija Srdanović, who spoke to broadcasters from Belgrade, urging a “free state.”
Political observers note the election may finally end Serbia’s authoritarian regime. Professor Nebojša Vladisavljević described the event as “an avalanche that has wiped out an authoritarian regime and the entire political scene.”
The Student List’s manifesto focuses on anti‑corruption measures, breaking up regime‑owned enterprises, and freeing the public broadcaster from political interference.
International reactions were swift. Hungary’s Prime Minister Péter Magyar celebrated the win as a breakthrough, calling it “a victory that brings freedom.” Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Vučić’s previous ties to Moscow while acknowledging the new party’s potential to reassess that relationship.
European Commissioner Marta Kos said the result opens a new chapter, with Serbia’s EU aspirations now backed by a more democratic leadership.
With President Ana Brnabić in a caretaker role, Serbia’s political focus now turns to the horizon: a new prime minister from the Student List and president elections scheduled for December.
