Serbia's Student List Wins Parliament, Ends Vucic's 12-Year Rule

Serbia’s long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday, acknowledging a victory for the student-led movement, Student List. Preliminary projections cited by Vucic indicated the Student List would secure between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member parliament, forming a majority, while his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was projected to win around 105 seats. Vucic told supporters in Belgrade, “It is clear that we have lost these elections. The Student List has won.”

This outcome marks a significant political setback for Vucic, whose party has governed Serbia since 2012. He had stepped down as president in September to contest the snap parliamentary election as the SNS candidate for prime minister. The election saw exceptionally high participation, with turnout reaching 67.6 per cent by 7pm local time, according to pollsters CeSID and Ipsos, the highest level since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. The Student List emerged from a nationwide protest movement triggered by the collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station on November 1, 2024, which killed 16 people, fueling public anger over alleged corruption.

Over nearly two years, the movement grew into a formidable opposition force, organizing rallies across the country, including a final pre-election rally in Belgrade that reportedly drew around 1,50,000 people. The Student List put forward 250 candidates, many without previous electoral experience, and campaigned on tackling corruption and strengthening public institutions under the slogan “Serbia or Mafia?”. While Vucic blamed independent media and alleged foreign interference for his party’s loss, the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA) reported instances of pressure on voters and election workers, with other monitoring groups flagging concerns like ballot photography and group voting.

Despite Vucic’s supporters crediting his government with economic development and infrastructure investment, critics accused his administration of weakening democratic institutions and exerting media influence. The Student List's projected majority now gives it a path to forming the next government, pending official results, though it faces the challenge of translating a broad protest coalition into a functioning administration. The new government is expected to address demands for reforms in public institutions, the rule of law, education, and anti-corruption measures.

Editor's note: The draft accurately synthesizes the provided report on the Serbian election, capturing the key political figures, figures, and context provided in the source.