Serbians Celebrate Vucic’s Defeat After His Rule Since 2014
Longtime Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat in a historic election held on Sunday (25 October), local time. The election was called after student protests against his government, which had continued for almost two years.
Vucic’s defeat was met with large-scale celebrations across Serbia, ending his long grip on power and marking the start of a new political era in the Balkan country.
A populist and nationalist figure, Vucic has dominated Serbian politics as both president and prime minister since 2014, The Guardian and Reuters reported on Monday (26 October 2026).
Vucic called a snap election last September following a wave of student-led demonstrations that had lasted nearly two years. The protests were driven by concerns about widespread corruption and growing authoritarianism, following the 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people.
Vucic stepped down as president of Serbia last September to run for prime minister in the snap election. Voters, however, backed the student-supported ‘Student List’ movement.
‘It is clear that we have lost this election and the Student List has won,’ Vucic said in a televised speech as he conceded defeat.
Vucic said preliminary results indicated that the Student List would secure around 135–140 seats in parliament, while his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) would win only 105. Serbia’s parliament has 250 seats in total.
Vucic’s concession prompted mass celebrations in the streets of Belgrade, Serbia’s capital. Tens of thousands of people filled the city’s main streets as cars sounded their horns, people danced and students chanted ‘victory’, with some saying, ‘He’s finished.’
‘Dear Serbia, tonight the people’s voice has been heard. Tonight we celebrate victory; tomorrow we build the future,’ said Radomir Sajcic, a professor at the University of Belgrade, speaking on behalf of the students at their headquarters.
The students’ victory marks a profound political shift in the country of six million people. It could also serve as a model for other student movements across Europe, which have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest poor education standards.
However, it remains unclear what will become of the candidates backed by the Student List.
Its list of 250 candidates comprises mostly little-known figures, including university professors, actors and farmers. The group is led by Ilija Srdanovic, a cardiologist, who wept after Vucic conceded defeat.
It is not yet known who will become prime minister or lead the students’ domestic agenda, which aims to tackle corruption and improve the education system.