Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia's former president and leader of the United Serbia electoral list, conceded defeat in Sunday's parliamentary election, acknowledging that the student-backed opposition had secured a projected victory. Speaking after polls closed on October 25, Vučić said his party's estimates showed the Student List winning a majority in the country's 250-seat parliament. Official election results have not yet been finalized.

"It is clear that we have lost these elections," Vučić said, acknowledging that the opposition had won. His projections placed the Student List at between 135 and 140 parliamentary seats, compared with approximately 105 for his electoral list. A parliamentary majority requires 126 seats.

Independent projections from Ipsos and CeSID also indicated a substantial opposition victory, placing the Student List at approximately 52% of the vote and 138 seats. Vučić's electoral list was projected to receive 39.3% and 104 seats. The estimates represent a major reversal for the political movement that has dominated Serbia's government since 2012.

Student Movement Challenges Serbia's Political Establishment

The election followed nearly two years of student-led demonstrations demanding accountability for corruption and institutional failures. The protests began after the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. The disaster prompted widespread accusations that corruption and failures in oversight had contributed to the collapse.

The Student List emerged from the protest movement but fielded candidates drawn from professional and civic backgrounds rather than university students themselves. Its campaign emphasized institutional accountability, political reform and rebuilding public trust in government. Vučić, who resigned the presidency in September to campaign for prime minister, had sought to preserve his political movement's control of parliament.

Voting took place amid exceptionally high participation and allegations of irregularities, including voter intimidation and isolated incidents of violence reported by election monitors. The European Union, which Serbia is seeking to join, has closely monitored the electoral process and urged restraint following reports of unrest. Although Vučić's concession and independent projections indicate an opposition majority, the final distribution of seats and formation of a new government remain subject to the official electoral process.