Vucic concedes defeat in Serbian parliamentary elections

Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat to a student-led protest movement in a historic election today that ends his long grip on power and heralds a new political era in the Balkan country.

Mr Vucic, a populist and nationalist, has dominated Serbian politics as prime minister or president since 2014.

But he called snap elections in September after almost two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and creeping authoritarianism triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in the city of Novi Sad in 2024.

"It is clear that we have lost these elections, the Student List has won," Mr Vucic said in a televised speech.

Within moments of his announcement, the streets of Belgrade erupted in celebration before the crowd swelled into the tens of thousands, with cars honking, people dancing and students shouting "victory" and "he's done".

The students gained widespread support to become the greatest threat to Mr Vucic since he first became prime minister in 2014 and then president in 2017.

The students' win marks a profound political shift in the country of some six million people and is reminiscent of the defeat of Hungary's Viktor Orban in April.

Mr Vucic said the students would have between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament and that his SNS party will have 105, based on preliminary results.

"Dear Serbia, tonight the voice of the people is being heard," said Radomir Sajcic, a professor at Belgrade University, speaking on behalf of the students at their headquarters.

"Tonight we celebrate victory, tomorrow we build the future."

The win may also offer a blueprint for other student movements across Europe, which have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest, in some cases violently, against poor education standards and a lack of prospects.

Lines of unprecedented length had snaked from polling stations in cities and towns across the country earlier in the day, and even Mr Vucic waited for nearly two hours to vote in Belgrade.

Pollsters and the election commission put turnout close to 70%, the highest since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992.

"(The turnout) did not surprise me because there was a large and strong mass that has formed throughout the past two years," said voter Katarina Petrovic.

Serbian voters turned out in force as a mass student protest movement sought to unseat longtime populist leader Mr Vucic in the biggest challenge to his rule for more than a decade.

Unusually long lines snaked from polling stations in cities and towns across the country.

Pollsters and monitors CeSID and Ipsos put turnout at 27.3% by mid-morning, nearly double the 15.1% at the same time in the previous election in 2023.

Mr Vucic had pledged higher pensions and public sector salaries, and investment in state healthcare. Internationally, he has sought closer ties with China, a major investor, and remained close to Russia, Serbia's traditional ally and principal supplier of natural gas.

"I voted for our children, our young people...our children deserve peace and work, only Mr Vucic can bring that," said Hatidza, a Roma woman.

The students' domestic agenda aims to root out graft and improve schooling, but they have been quieter on their international ambitions.

Their list of 250 largely unknown candidates includes university professors, actors and farmers, and is led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic, although it is not clear who would be prime minister.

Earlier, after casting his vote, Mr Vucic said he would respect the result.

Student protests increase pressure on Vucic

The student-led street protests sparked by the station disaster quickly became the biggest in a generation, calling for Mr Vucic to step down.

Rights groups and activists say repression has worsened in the period since.

"For decades the people have been waiting for this time, something to bring hope that we can live freely and by the rules of democracy," said actor Jelena Stupljanin, 48, at a Belgrade polling station.

Mr Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have repeatedly denied accusations of repression, corruption and spying on their opponents.

He says the students are funded by foreign agents in Croatia and Montenegro, a charge the students dismiss.

"This has been one of the most difficult but the most emotional campaigns," Mr Vucic told his supporters on Thursday. "We stood against those who wanted to destroy Serbia."