Serbia's Ex-President Vučić Admits Election Defeat Amidst Anti-Corruption Protests

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has acknowledged the defeat of his party in snap parliamentary elections held on October 25. The opposition movement, which emerged from large-scale student protests against corruption, secured victory. Preliminary estimates indicate the "Student List" will take between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament, while Vučić's political bloc is projected to win approximately 105 seats. "We do not have final results yet, but it is clear that we have lost these elections," Vučić stated. He had resigned the presidency in late September, aiming to return as prime minister. The anti-government protests in Serbia began following the collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, which resulted in 16 fatalities. Protesters attribute the tragedy to corruption, sparking a political crisis that led to the formation of a broad opposition movement. Vučić has been recognized as a pro-Israel politician, with Serbia developing military-technical cooperation and supplying ammunition to Israel after the war began in October 2023 under his leadership.