Serbia's longtime strongman Vučić concedes election defeat to student-led opposition
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has conceded defeat in a snap election to a student-led opposition movement. The result follows years of protests against corruption and authoritarianism in the country.
Why it matters
This represents a major political shift in the Balkans and may serve as a model for youth-led democratic movements across Europe.
Vučić, a populist and nationalist, has dominated Serbian politics as prime minister or president since 2014.
But he called a snap election 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,' Vučić said in a televised speech.
Within moments of his announcement, the streets of the capital, Belgrade, erupted in celebration after Vučić's announcement, with cars honking and students shouting "victory" and "he's done."
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 Orbán in April.
Headlinne story · 8 newsrooms
Aleksandar Vucic Concedes Parliamentary Election to Student Opposition Movement
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16 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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