Serbia president Vucic concedes snap election to student opposition

Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat in Serbia's snap parliamentary election, marking a major turning point for the country after more than a decade under his leadership.

Speaking at the headquarters of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party in Belgrade on Sunday night, the populist president acknowledged the outcome before official tallies were fully concluded, stating that early returns made the loss unmistakable.

The election followed two years of widespread demonstrations sparked by a fatal disaster in late 2024, when a railway station roof collapsed in Novi Sad, claiming 16 lives. The tragedy became a focal point for public anger against systemic negligence and government corruption, galvanising a student-led opposition movement that eventually pushed the president to schedule an early vote.

Preliminary information released by the national election commission showed record voter participation across the country. Observers had anticipated that unusually high engagement at the ballot box would bolster the prospects of the student-driven coalition.

Following Vucic's concession, large crowds assembled in the streets of Belgrade to mark the result. Gatherings at the headquarters of the student movement spilled into surrounding avenues, where supporters chanted slogans celebrating the outcome, drivers sounded their car horns in tribute, and fireworks were discharged across the capital.

Vucic, who has maintained an extensive hold on Serbian political life across twelve years, called the snap poll in an effort to resolve persistent unrest. Instead, the vote handed power to a grassroots movement that capitalised on sustained civilian dissatisfaction and transformed street-level opposition into an electoral victory.