Historic turning point in Serbia. The students won the early political elections by defeating the incumbent Aleksandar Vučić, who had led the country for 14 years. The civic list was rewarded by a record turnout, which was close to 70%, a figure that had not been seen for at least 30 years and that commentators had been predicting for some time, claiming that it would favor students.
In a surprise move, Vucic himself was the first to appear on live TV to announce that he had “lost the elections”. We are now awaiting the definitive numbers to understand its extent, but the students would have obtained over 53% of the preferences.
“Never again a tyrant”
Exit polls are not allowed in Serbia. The first projections arrived many hours after the polls closed, provided by some of the associations and opinion polling institutes. The party exploded in a climate of tension in the center of Belgrade, with large police deployments and the feared presence of provocateurs.
The student movement organized itself as a heterogeneous political force. Its unitary list, without a prominent leader, presented a selection of candidates from civil society, united by the sole objective of defeating Vucic’s Serbian progressive party.
“Never again will we have a tyrant in this country,” said Ilija Srdanovic, a representative of the student list. For Mirjana Nikolic, candidate on the student list and rector of the University of Dramatic Arts, the victory “is the culmination of almost two years of demonstrations, triggered by the collapse – which occurred in 2024 – of a shelter at the train station in Novi Sad, the second city of this Balkan country. Sixteen people lost their lives and, according to the demonstrators, the accident was a consequence of endemic corruption”.
Vucic speaks
Aleksandar Vucic admitted defeat, but at the same time confirmed that he had no intention of leaving the country. With a sad but composed expression, he appeared on TV to say that the students conducted an “incorrect and full of lies” electoral campaign and that he would not make any concessions to the opposition, but he recognized their victory.
“They said that someone would flee, that someone would pack their bags, that someone was afraid or that someone was planning to retreat – everything they said was a lie,” he said.
The reactions
“Today, the Serbian people mobilized in record numbers to shape the future of their country. Congratulations to the Student List for its victory in the parliamentary elections”, writes the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in X. “We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions, and to work together to promote Serbia’s future in the European Union.”
Today, the people of Serbia turned out in record numbers to shape their country’s future.
Congratulations to the Student List on its victory in the parliamentary elections.
We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions, and to work together to advance Serbia’s future in the European Union.
@eucopresident
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 25, 2026