Student List Wins Landslide Victory in Serbian Snap Election

The Student List, a coalition of academics and professionals, won a landslide victory in Serbia's snap parliamentary elections on October 25, 2026. Preliminary results indicate the movement secured approximately 53% of the vote, projecting a majority of 135 to 141 seats in the 250-member National Assembly. The victory ends 14 years of political dominance by Aleksandar Vučić and the Serbian Progressive Party, which is projected to hold roughly 103 to 105 seats.

The movement emerged from nearly two years of protests under the slogan 'Corruption Kills,' triggered by a November 2024 railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. The Student List, led by cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic, campaigned on rooting out systemic corruption, restoring judicial independence, and reviving Serbia's stalled European Union accession process.

Aleksandar Vučić, who resigned the presidency in September to run for prime minister, conceded defeat but claimed the result was a "revolution" supported by the "American deep state" and various European countries. He warned that the new government might impose sanctions on Russia by spring. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that the new leadership would maintain constructive bilateral ties.

European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, congratulated the victors and pledged support for reforms regarding the rule of law and media freedom. In Belgrade, tens of thousands celebrated the result, while acting president Ana Brnabic engaged in verbal confrontations with crowds.