Serbian Student List Wins Parliamentary Elections, Vučić Concedes Defeat

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced Sunday that his party has lost the parliamentary elections and failed to secure the majority needed to form a government. Vučić, who has dominated Serbian politics for the past 12 years and is considered close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that his party won 105 seats, while the "Student List" garnered over the 126 seats required for a majority. Voter turnout was the highest since Yugoslavia's dissolution in 1992, reaching 67.60% by 7 PM. Long queues were observed at polling stations across the country and at Serbian embassies in Europe. Police blocked major avenues in the capital, Belgrade, after polls closed. Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) had hoped to defeat the "Student List," which emerged from a mass protest movement that began nearly two years ago. Vučić called for early elections last month following almost two years of student-led demonstrations against corruption and authoritarian trends. The protests were sparked by the deaths of 16 people in a roof collapse at a train station in Novi Sad in 2024. The "Student List," headed by cardiologist Ilija Đurđević, comprises mostly lesser-known figures like university lecturers, actors, and farmers. Vučić resigned as president in September during his second term to run for prime minister again. His supporters credit him with revitalizing Serbia's economy and leading modernization efforts, including new highways, railways, schools, and hospitals. In contrast, the "Student List's" domestic platform focuses on eradicating corruption and improving education, with less emphasis on international ambitions. Supporters of the "Student List" expressed frustration with the perceived corruption and authoritarianism under Vučić's rule, while his backers highlighted his modernization achievements. Some voters expressed weariness with the political system, with one individual even suggesting the "Student List" might be part of a foreign interference campaign.