Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Ivana Sekularac and Edward McAllister

What happened in Serbia's election? Ruler Vucic ousted by student movement

  • Serbia 's long-standing leader Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat in the nation's snap parliamentary election, marking the end of his 14-year reign following a decisive victory by a broad, student-led opposition movement.
  • Projections indicate that the youth-backed Students' List won between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member parliament with approximately 2.2 million votes, defeating Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which secured around 105 seats.
  • The election followed two years of widespread anti-corruption demonstrations sparked by the 2024 collapse of a concrete train station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people and galvanised national anger against high-level graft.
  • Voter turnout reached an estimated 70 per cent—the highest in Serbia since 2000—prompting jubilant street celebrations in Belgrade and messages of support from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
  • In his concession speech, Vucic attributed his loss to independent media and alleged foreign interference from unnamed European nations and an American deep state, whilst opposition candidates hailed the result as a victory over fear.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.