Serbia’s longtime leader, Aleksandar Vučić, has conceded defeat after his Serbian Progressive Party, SNS, misplaced to a student-led movement in snap parliamentary elections.
“It is clear we have lost these elections,” mentioned Vučić, President from 2017 to 2026. He beforehand served as first deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2014, and prime minister from 2014 to 2017.
Originally often called ‘Students in Blockade’ and registered as ‘Student List’ for the legislative elections, the movement is projected to have between 135 and 140 seats. The SNS may have 105.
The Republic Electoral Commission, RIK, introduced that the Student List received 52.54 % of the vote, whereas United Serbia, led by the SNS, secured 39.29 %.
The youth-backed organisation emerged in November 2024 throughout a grassroots protest in response to a railway station catastrophe attributed to authorities corruption and negligence.
On Monday, Russia reacted to the defeat of Vučić, who maintained shut relations with Moscow and refused to hitch Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministry described Serbia as “a traditionally friendly nation,” with which Russia has maintained political, financial, cultural, historic, and humanitarian ties.
Moscow expects the brand new authorities to “preserve the positive momentum built up over the years and continue to pursue a policy of developing mutually beneficial and equal cooperation.”
The Student List has acquired congratulatory messages from Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Hungarian PM Péter Magyar, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Council President António Costa, and Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Council of Europe’s Secretary General Alain Berset, Montenegrin PM Milojko Spajić and President Jakov Milatović, and Republika Srpska President Siniša Karan have additionally congratulated the brand new Serbian management.
