Serbia's student movement ousts longtime leader in parliament poll

Serbia's student-led movement declared victory in parliamentary elections Sunday, ending 14 years in power for Aleksandar Vucic's right-wing populist party.

The victory in the snap vote comes after nearly two years of anti-government protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people.

The disaster has been widely blamed on corruption and triggered some of Serbia's largest protests since the fall of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

"Preliminary results show that students are convincingly leading in almost all polling stations," Radomir Saicic, a candidate for the Students' List, said in a speech at the movement's election HQ.

"Students won and with them also a hope that Serbia can be a country of justice, freedom and dignity."

Voters cast ballots in huge numbers on Sunday, with the country recording its highest parliamentary election turnout in more than three decades.

Vucic conceded defeat less than two hours after polls closed, triggering raucous scenes in the capital as supporters of the movement celebrated the defeat of a government they blamed for deep-rooted corruption.

"I feel incredible," student Mila Martic told AFP from the List's headquarters. "I feel as though I am finally living in a free country."

Thousands poured into the capital's streets to celebrate the victory, with passing cars honking, crowds chanting, and fireworks lighting up the skyline.

According to the country's election officials, nearly 65 percent of its 6.4 million registered voters had cast their ballots by 6:00 p.m. (1700 GMT), two hours before polls closed.

The figure surpassed the 1993 parliamentary election, when just over 61 percent voted.

AFP