Serbia opposition wins snap vote as Vucic concedes defeat

Early results from Serbia’s snap parliamentary election initially showed the governing coalition ahead, but the opposition widened the gap as the vote count progressed and won the race.

Former President Aleksandar Vucic conceded that his Serbian Progressive Party had lost the election.

According to Vucic, initial figures from the ballot boxes showed his party in the lead, but the opposition Student List subsequently moved ahead.

According to official data released by the Republic Electoral Commission of Serbia at 04:40 local time on 26 October, 7,428 out of 8,392 ballot boxes had been opened. With the proportion of counted ballot boxes reaching 88.51%, the distribution of votes stood as follows:

The “Student List – Students Win” reached 51.20% with 1,849,104 votes. The “Aleksandar Vucic – United Serbia” coalition remained at 40.16% with 1,450,528 votes. The “Ivica Dacic – Stability Factor” list received 82,085 votes, or 2.27%, while other parties remained below 1%.

According to a joint projection by Ipsos and the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) based on 96% of ballot boxes, the Student List is expected to win 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament with 52.9% of the vote. The research organizations forecast that Vucic’s coalition will secure 38.8% of the vote and 103 seats, with estimated turnout calculated at 69.3%.

Vucic conceded defeat and alleged foreign interference

Addressing supporters at party headquarters after voting concluded, in remarks reported by Novosti and Srbija Danas, Vucic conceded defeat based on stratified sample data. “We do not have final results yet, but looking at the stratified sample, it is clear that we have lost this election,” Vucic said.

Noting that only two lists had entered parliament, Vucic said: “The Student Bloc list won; they will have 135 to 140 seats, and we will have around 105. No one else was able to enter parliament.”

Vucic emphasized that they would not lodge legal challenges against the election results. “We will not bother with filing lawsuits, appeals, or challenging this before the administrative court; let them consider this an accepted election result,” Vucic said, adding: “I am not going to run away, I am in Serbia in any case; here is your acceptance of the election.”

Leveling allegations of outside interference in his statement, Vucic said: “We have been humiliated; I want people to know that this was confirmation of the revolution they carried out with the direct support of various European countries and the American ‘deep state’ (meaning the structure opposing President Trump).”

Targeting the opposition’s policy toward Moscow, Vucic claimed: “Sanctions against the Russian Federation will be enacted by March or April; they will do everything they did not want to talk about, everything they lied about.” However, the student movement had denied in a September statement that it had any such plan should it take power.

Continuing his speech, Vucic addressed both his base and his opponents: “I know tonight has been difficult for many people, and I know how happy some are. I wish them success. I congratulate them, even though they are merely subcontractors, just subcontractors of dirty work designed by someone else to bring down a sovereign state.”

Stating that he would continue his political struggle, Vucic added to the Student List: “You achieved this for a moment. For how long? We will see. I wish them the best, and we will fight. Starting this evening we will begin preparations, and we will defeat them. Long live Serbia!”

European leaders send congratulations

As the election outcome became clear, the first messages of congratulation were shared across the international arena.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa congratulated the Student List on winning Serbia’s snap general election in a joint statement published on their X accounts.

“We are ready to support reforms in the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption, and the consolidation of strong democratic institutions, and to build Serbia’s future in the European Union together,” the two leaders said in their statement.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos also noted on X that record turnout had been achieved following protests lasting nearly two years. Kos assessed: “A new era can begin for Serbia. The EU’s door is open, and we are ready to move forward together.”

Hungarian President Péter Magyar stated that he spoke by telephone with leaders of the Student List to convey his congratulations. On his X account, Magyar posted: “I conveyed Hungary’s support to them. I was pleased to hear how much strength our April victory gave them in this difficult struggle.”

Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica congratulated the opposition on its success, saying, “Arise Serbia, and raise the Serbs!” and noted that the result marked the rebirth of Serb identity and the beginning of a healthy patriotic renaissance. Former Republika Srpska president Milorad Dodik, who supported Vucic ahead of the election, also recognized the opposition’s victory, writing on X: “The voice of the people is the voice of God. The citizens of Republika Srpska and Serbia have spoken. We move forward together.”

Celebrations held in streets as tent camp set ablaze

Following the announcement of the election results, people took to the streets across numerous Serbian cities to celebrate the opposition’s victory.

According to RTS, crowds filling the streets sang, chanted slogans, and celebrated with fireworks and vuvuzelas.

In Belgrade, certain groups dismantled the tent camp located in Pionirski Park, known as “Cacilend”. Opposition supporters breached the barriers surrounding the park and set fire to the tents inside. The tent camp had been set up on 6 March 2025 during massive anti-government demonstrations and was characterized by Vucic as a “symbol of freedom and resistance”.