Drama in Serbia: Former President Concedes Defeat in Parliamentary Elections

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in the parliamentary elections on Sunday against a list led by the student protest movement. Vučić estimated that his opponents would win 135 to 140 of the 250 seats, compared to about 105 for his own list. Final results have not yet been published.

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in the parliamentary elections on Sunday against a list led by the student protest movement. The concession marks a dramatic turning point in the country, after his party, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), has been in power since 2012. Final results have not yet been published, but initial projections indicate an absolute majority for the student list. In his statement, Vučić estimated that his opponents would win 135 to 140 of the 250 parliamentary seats, compared to about 105 seats for his list. According to him, the student list received about 2.2 million votes, while his list received about 1.72 million votes. Vučić, who previously served as prime minister and later as president, resigned from the presidency last month to run in the elections and attempt to return to the premiership. He faced a movement that emerged from nearly two years of anti-corruption protests, following the collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people.