Vucic Concedes Loss to Student List

Voter turnout in Sunday’s snap parliamentary election in Serbia reached its highest level in more than 30 years. This surge in participation occurred as Aleksandar Vucic, who has shaped the country’s political landscape for over a decade, conceded defeat to a student-led opposition movement. The vote marks the end of Vucic’s direct control over the Serbian Progressive Party and the state apparatus he dominated since 2012.

Speaking to supporters, Vucic acknowledged the result after sample votes indicated his list would secure 105 seats in the 250-member parliament. The opposition Student List was projected to win between 135 and 140 seats, ensuring a majority. This outcome follows nearly two years of protests against Vucic’s administration, which he had previously dismissed as an attempt to destabilize the country. He had referred to the demonstrators, who included university professors, doctors, and workers, as "blockaders."

The movement originated after a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. The incident sparked a wave of social unrest that evolved into a formal political platform. Ilija Srdanovic, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, led the campaign for the Student List. The group pledged to combat corruption, depoliticize public institutions, and restore citizens' rights. Srdanovic’s leadership represented a shift from traditional party politics to a movement driven by academic and professional figures.

Vucic, born in Belgrade in 1970, entered politics in 1993 with the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party led by Vojislav Seselj. His early career was defined by nationalist rhetoric, including a statement made in July 1995, nine days after the Srebrenica genocide, in which he told parliament: "Kill one Serb, and we will kill 100 Muslims." Seselj was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 for persecution and deportation of non-Serbs. Seselj’s son, Aleksandar, appeared on Vucic’s candidate list in this election.

Vucic and Tomislav Nikolic founded the Serbian Progressive Party in 2008 to move closer to mainstream European politics. Journalist Safeta Bisevac noted that Vucic was initially less popular than Nikolic and served as the party's "essentially the organiser." The party took power in 2012 with promises to fight corruption and organized crime. Bisevac described the results as modest while authorities expanded their grip on 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. Under pressure from the protests, he resigned in September and called for early elections, though he retained dominant influence over state policy until the vote.

Official data cited by Reuters indicates that the economy grew considerably during Vucic’s tenure. Unemployment fell from 26 percent to between 8 and 9 percent, and nominal GDP nearly tripled to approximately 90 billion euros. Annual foreign direct investment increased from roughly 800 million euros in 2012 to a record 5.2 billion euros in 2024. The government also constructed a network of modern motorways. Despite these economic indicators, the cost of living and public debt remain central to the debate over his record, as higher wages have not always corresponded to improved living standards.

Political scientist Dusko Radosavljevic characterized the student movement as giving voice to the justified anger of citizens. He described the past decade as one of systematic pressure and the destruction of social institutions. Radosavljevic added that intelligence services spent more time monitoring political opponents while critical thinking was pushed out of public media.