Student List defeats Vucic in Serbian election with record turnout

Serbia's election drew unprecedented turnout in recent history, approaching 70 percent according to preliminary figures, in what was described as the most contested parliamentary vote in 14 years. The Student List, a leaderless candidacy comprising 250 professionals selected by students, prevailed in the ballot, securing a majority that would allow it to govern without requiring coalition partners.

Aleksandar Vucic acknowledged the defeat of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) from the party headquarters. According to Serbian press reports, Vucic said he did not have final results but that a stratified sample clearly demonstrated his party's electoral loss, having held power since 2012.

The student movement that triumphed at the polls emerged from mobilization that began after a canopy collapse at Novi Sad railway station in 2024, a tragedy that killed 16 people. The discontent over what occurred, widely attributed to corruption, triggered some of the largest demonstrations in Serbia since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

The snap election was called as a result of this sustained student mobilization that transformed street protests into a government alternative. The Student List channeled nearly two years of anti-corruption demonstrations into an electoral proposal that resonated with voters on election day.

The victory marks a significant shift in Serbian politics after more than a decade of rule by the same party. Open questions remain over the unity the winning candidacy will maintain on issues including relations with the European Union, ties with Russia and the situation in Kosovo, according to reports on the challenges facing the new administration.