Serbia's student movement ousts longtime leader Vucic

Sunday's victory in the snap parliamentary vote comes after nearly two years of anti-government protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people.

The disaster has been widely blamed on corruption and triggered some of Serbia's largest protests since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

"Preliminary results show that students are convincingly leading in almost all polling stations," Radomir Saicic, a candidate for the Students' List, said in a speech at the movement's election HQ.

"Students won and with them also a hope that Serbia can be a country of justice, freedom and dignity." People celebrate after Aleksandar Vucic, leader of the right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) conceded defeat in the parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

Voters cast ballots in huge numbers on Sunday, with the country recording its highest parliamentary election turnout in more than three decades.

Vucic conceded defeat less than two hours after polls closed, triggering raucous scenes in the capital as supporters of the movement celebrated the defeat of a government they blamed for deep-rooted corruption.

"I feel incredible," student Mila Martic told French press agency AFP from the List's headquarters. "I feel as though I am finally living in a free country."

High turnout in Serbia as student movement takes on Vucic at the polls

Thousands poured into the capital's streets to celebrate the victory, with passing cars honking, crowds chanting, and fireworks lighting up the skyline.

According to the country's election officials, nearly 65 percent of its 6.4 million registered voters had cast their ballots by 6pm, two hours before polls closed.

The figure surpassed the 1993 parliamentary election, when just over 61 percent voted.

'Dream has come true'

During his speech to supporters, Vucic said preliminary figures suggested the student movement could win between 135 and 140 seats, handing it an outright majority in the 250-seat parliament.

The 56-year-old statesman, who has maintained close ties with Russia throughout his tenure, blamed foreign powers for the result.

"I want people to know, this was the validation of a revolution carried out with the direct support of various European countries and the US deep state, the one that is also against President Trump," he said. Aleksandar Vucic, leader of the right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) speaks at the party headquarters, after conceding defeat in the parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

For nearly two years, students have staged rallies and marched across the Balkan nation to reach voters directly and counter the Serbian Progressive Party's media machine.

Their protests have drawn huge crowds, a final pre-election rally in Belgrade on Thursday attracting around 150,000 people, according to an independent protest monitor.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar congratulated the Students' List on their victory.

"We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions, and to work together to advance Serbia's future in the European Union," von der Leyen said on X.

Magyar said he had talked with the Students' List leaders and assured them of his country's support.

"I was delighted to hear how much strength our victory in April had given them during this difficult struggle," Magyar said on X. 

Spontaneous mass celebrations in Budapest after Orban's ouster

Vucic's defeat comes months after his close ally and Magyar's right-wing predecessor Viktor Orban also lost the elections.

"A two-year-long dream has come true," Mirjana Nikolic, a candidate on the Students' List, said shortly after the win was announced.

Political novices

Most of the student list's 250 candidates are experts from fields including academia and the arts with little political experience.

The movement has a broad platform, centred on a pledge to fight corruption.

It evolved from demands for a transparent investigation into the Novi Sad tragedy into calls for an early election. Rescue service workers inspect a scene as a roof collapsed at a railway station, Friday Nov. 1, 2024, in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Despite pushing back against the movement for almost two years, Vucic under mounting pressure, called the vote last month, citing "major turbulence on the domestic political scene".

He resigned the presidency to run for prime minister.

Domestic and international observers were monitoring the vote, with students mobilising large numbers of volunteers to oversee the process.

(With newswires)