Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in parliamentary elections on Oct. 25, handing a victory to the student-led protest movement that has dominated Serbia's political landscape for nearly two years. The Students' List, backed by the protest coalition, is projected to take between 135 and 140 seats in Parliament, marking a historic shift in the country's political alignment.
Vucic, who served as Serbia's prime minister and president since 2014, acknowledged the election results in a press briefing, stating that the student blockade list had won. The election saw Serbia's highest voter turnout, 70%, since the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1992, signaling a significant political change for the Balkan nation.
The election results are seen as a potential shift away from Russia and Vladimir Putin, who endorsed Vucic. The outcome mirrors recent elections in Hungary, where populist leader Viktor Orban, also backed by Putin, was defeated in a landslide. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar drew a parallel between the two elections, highlighting the rise of the Serbian opposition.
The election results highlight the ongoing political struggle in Serbia, with Vucic's party facing challenges from a new political force that emerged from a years-long protest movement. The Students' List, which has been advocating for transparency and accountability, is now poised to lead the country's political future.