Vucic concedes defeat as student bloc claims Serbian parliament

Ordinary voters in Serbia cast ballots in a parliamentary election that saw turnout reach its highest level in over 30 years. The result ended the political dominance of Aleksandar Vucic, who led the country's political life for more than a decade. He officially admitted his loss on Sunday after exit polls indicated his party would not secure a majority.

Vucic, the leader of the Serbian Progressive Party, spoke to supporters to acknowledge the outcome. He stated, "It is clear that we have lost these elections." Sample data from the vote suggests his list will secure 105 seats in the 250-member parliament. Projections indicate the opposing Student List will win between 135 and 140 seats, securing a clear mandate.

The Student List originated from a specific incident of public grief. On November 1, 2024, a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people. The tragedy sparked youth-led demonstrations that evolved into a political platform. Ilija Srdanovic, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, led the campaign. The group pledged to combat corruption, remove political influence from public institutions, and restore citizens' rights.

During the campaign, Vucic criticized the protesters, who included university professors, doctors, and workers, by labeling them "blockaders." He accused the movement of attempting to destabilize the country. Despite this, the opposition gained enough traction to force early elections after Vucic resigned in September under pressure from the streets.

Vucic's political career spans more than three decades. Born in Belgrade in 1970, he studied law at the University of Belgrade and entered politics in 1993. He joined the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party led by Vojislav Seselj. In 1995, nine days after the Srebrenica genocide, Vucic told parliament, "Kill one Serb, and we will kill 100 Muslims." Seselj was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 for crimes against non-Serbs during the Balkan wars.

The Serbian Progressive Party was founded in 2008 by Vucic and Tomislav Nikolic after a split in the Radical Party. The new party aimed to align with mainstream European politics. Journalist Safeta Bisevac noted that Vucic was initially less popular than Nikolic and served as the party's organizer. The party took power in 2012, promising to fight corruption and organized crime.

Bisevac described the party's performance as modest while authorities expanded their control over institutions, media, and political life. Vucic served as first deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2014, then as prime minister, and became president in 2017. He won re-election in 2022, with his term scheduled to run until 2027. Bisevac added that Vucic made many promises but fulfilled few, establishing almost complete control over the state apparatus.

Economic indicators showed growth during Vucic's tenure. Official data cited by Reuters shows unemployment fell from 26 percent to between 8 and 9 percent. Nominal GDP nearly tripled to approximately 90 billion euros. Annual foreign direct investment rose from roughly 800 million euros in 2012 to a record 5.2 billion euros in 2024. The government also built a network of modern motorways.

Despite these figures, higher wages did not always match the rise in living standards. Cost of living and public debt remain central issues in the debate over his record. Political scientist Dusko Radosavljevic said the students gave a voice to the justified anger of citizens. He described the past decade as one of systematic pressure and the destruction of social institutions, noting that intelligence services monitored political opponents while critical thinking was pushed out of public media.