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Serbia's Vucic concedes defeat to student led movement in parliamentary election
The student-led movement won a projected majority after nearly two years of protests sparked by a deadly station canopy collapse, officials said.
The leader Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in snap parliamentary elections on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Preliminary results indicate the youth-backed Student List secured 135 to 140 seats, while the Serbian Progressive Party took 105.
Following the November 1, 2024, railway station collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, the student-led movement emerged. This tragedy ignited long-standing public frustration regarding government corruption and systemic negligence.
Nearly 70 percent of eligible voters participated in Sunday’s balloting, marking the highest electoral turnout in Serbia since 1992. Long queues formed at polling stations nationwide, reflecting the widespread public desire for political change.
Allegations of foreign interference, including an 'American deep state,' were cited by the outgoing leader to explain the electoral results. Conversely, the opposition movement attributed the outcome to domestic dissatisfaction with corruption and infrastructure failures.
Navigating the nation's traditional ties with Russia and China while advancing stalled accession negotiations with the European Union remains a challenge. The new parliament must convene within 30 days to begin forming a government.