Serbia: the Vucic era is over, defeated by the students’ list

Serbia woke up this morning to a new reality, after the student movement who contested the government in office for two years and managed to defeat the former nationalist president at the polls Aleksandar Vucic and raise hopes for a new opening in relations with the EU.

The latest results published by Election Commission show that the ‘Student List’ he had the clear majority in early parliamentary elections of yesterday, characterized by arecord turnout by 69.3%. The students obtained 52.65% of the votes, while the list ‘United Serbia’ of the Serbian Progressive Party (Sns), led by Vucic39.2%. These data should translate into a majority of 140 seats in Parliamentmade up of 250 members.

The end of the SNS government

The students thus put an end to 14 years of government of Snsand to twelve of the leader, and theeuphoria and the hope for this new chapter in the country’s history exploded in the streets of Belgrade a few minutes after, unexpectedly, last night Vucic he immediately publicly acknowledged the defeat.

The origins of the demonstrations

The student success marks the culmination of nearly two years of demonstrationstriggered by the collapse of a bus shelter in 2024 Novi Sad railway stationthe second largest city in the Balkan country. In the incident, attributed by protesters to corruption16 people lost their lives. The event started the biggest wave of protests since the fall of the former leader Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

Statements after the vote

“The students won and, with them, the hope that the Serbia can become a country of justice, freedom e dignity“he declared Radomir Saiciccandidate of ‘Student List’. “It is clear that we lost this election,” he admitted Vucic addressing his supporters at the headquarters ofSns a Belgrade.

The celebrations in the capital

After his words, protests began throughout the Serbian capital celebrations: Cars honked as crowds gathered to celebrate the result near the venue Election Commission. At the headquarters of the ‘Student List’supporters of the movement cheered, cried and hugged each other, shouting: “Victory, victory!”.

The dissolution of Parliament

In September, Vucic – president at the time – dissolved the Parliament and announced early electionsaccepting one of the main demands of the protest movement. A few days later, he resigned from his post so he could run, with the expectation of being elected prime minister.

The organization of the student movement

In opposition to Vucicil student movement it organized itself into a heterogeneous political force. Its unified list does not feature a single prominent leader, but is instead made up of candidates from the civil societyunited by one common goal: to defeat theSns.

Congratulations from Europe

The president of European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenand the Hungarian Prime Minister, Peter Hungariancongratulated the students on their victory. “We are ready to support reforms concerning it rule of lawthe freedom of the pressthe fight against corruption and the strengthening of democratic institutionsand to work together to promote the future of Serbia nell’European Union“he wrote Von der Leyen his X.

Zelensky’s best wishes

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyhe wished the Serbia“success, real development and cordial relations with the European community“.

The location of Moscow

Under Vucicthe Serbia it was one of the few European countries that did not impose sanctions a Mosca. The right-wing nationalist leader was a close ally of the Kremlin who today took note of the results of the vote, hoping that the new ones Serbian authorities “understand that cooperation with Mosca it is in the interest of their country”. The spokesperson Dmitri Peskov he assured that the Russia intends to “continue to develop ties with the Serbiabut it takes two to tango.”

The prospects of the new authorities

The Serbia not the future authority they will now have to deal with almost fifteen years of Sns in power, which, according to his detractors, were characterized by corruption, nepotism and dismantling of democracy. The politics of Student List on the Russia it will probably be very different in style, but will not necessarily see a significant change in substance, given the country’s close economic and energy ties with Mosca and the many Russian emigrants to Belgrade.

The traditional partnership with Russia

The ‘Student List’ explicitly stated in his manifesto that he wanted to maintain “the traditional partnership“with the Russia and to oppose any punitive measures against Mosca.