Student List Ousts Aleksandar Vucic in Historic Serbian Election

The Student List, a movement of academics and professionals born from anti-corruption protests, won a decisive victory in Serbia's October 25 snap parliamentary elections. Preliminary results show the movement secured approximately 52.7% of the vote, granting them a clear majority of 135 to 140 seats in the 250-member National Assembly. The result ends the 14-year political dominance of Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Progressive Party, which secured approximately 105 seats.

The movement emerged following a November 2024 railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, an event that became a catalyst for wider anger over systemic corruption and institutional negligence. Voter turnout reached nearly 70%, the highest since 1992, though international observers reported a polarized campaign environment and the misuse of public resources by the ruling party.

Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat to avoid street unrest, though he attributed his loss to independent media and alleged interference by an "American deep state" and various European countries. In Belgrade, victory celebrations were marked by both mass jubilation and clashes between demonstrators and police.

European Union leaders congratulated the victors and pledged support for reforms regarding the rule of law and media freedom. While the Student List aims to revive EU accession, representative Jovo Bakic stated the incoming government will not impose sanctions on Russia, citing Moscow as a historically important partner. The Government of Russia expressed hope that the new leadership will maintain constructive bilateral ties.