A student-led movement in Serbia declared victory in the parliamentary elections held on October 25. Former President Aleksandar Vucic also officially acknowledged his defeat, marking the end of his 12-year rule.
According to AFP, Radomir Sajic, a candidate from the 'Student List,' stated in a speech at the election headquarters, "Preliminary results indicate that students have a clear advantage at nearly all polling stations."
He added, "Students have won, and the hope that Serbia can become a nation of justice, freedom, and dignity has also triumphed."
The 'Student List' refers to an independent electoral slate formed to contest the elections. Under Serbia's proportional representation system, students and civil society leaders who have led anti-government protests united with university professors and cultural figures to create a joint list for the elections.
Bloomberg reported that Vucic acknowledged his defeat early in the vote counting process. In a speech to his supporters, he predicted that the Student List would secure between 135 and 140 of the 250 seats in the National Assembly, achieving a majority.
However, he claimed without providing specific evidence that the Student List won the election with foreign support.
Vucic has alternated between the roles of Prime Minister and President since 2014, maintaining long-term control over Serbia. He resigned from the presidency last month to return to the Prime Minister's office, running as the candidate for the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has been in power since 2012.
Serbian citizens have protested against Vucic's administration for corruption over the past two years. The protests intensified following a tragic incident in 2024 when the roof of a train station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people. Protesters, particularly students, have pointed to the government's negligence and corruption as the root causes of the disaster.
This election, the first since the anti-government protests began, saw 250 candidates from the Student List running. Most of these candidates are experts from academia and the arts, with little to no experience in politics.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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