“It is clear that we have lost these elections,” admitted Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia’s long-serving leader, addressing supporters of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) following Sunday’s snap parliamentary election. Preliminary projections suggested that the student-backed movement could secure around 138 seats in the 250-seat parliament, compared with 104 for the SNS.
The streets of Belgrade filled with young Serbians celebrating the victory of the student-led movement, which has been protesting against Vučić’s government for nearly two years. The demonstrations began after the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, in November 2024, which killed 16 people. Protesters blamed the tragedy on widespread corruption and alleged negligence.
However, it remains unclear how the movement intends to govern. Its list of 250 candidates includes university professors, athletes and farmers, with Ilija Srdanović heading the list. The movement has yet to announce who would become prime minister or fill other key government positions to implement its domestic agenda, which focuses on tackling corruption and improving education.
References:
Kassam, A., & Milosavljević, A. (2026, October 25). Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić ousted by student movement in seismic election. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/25/serbian-leader-aleksandar-vucic-concedes-defeat-in-fiercely-contested-parliamentary-election
Reuters. (2026, October 26). After Vučić defeat, Serbia waits to see how student-backed leaders will govern. Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/world/after-vucic-defeat-serbia-waits-see-how-student-backed-leaders-will-govern-2026-10-26/
Flag of Serbia flies outside the Serbian embassy in Prague [Photograph]. (s. d.). Wikimedia Commons.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Serbia_flies_outside_the_Serbian_embassy_in_Prague.jpg
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