Serbia's veteran ruler Vučić concedes election to student-led protest movement

Serbia's incumbent leader, Aleksandar Vučić, has conceded defeat in the recent snap parliamentary elections to a student-led protest movement. The right-wing populist admitted as much in a statement made on Sunday, acknowledging their loss. Preliminary results from Serbia's election commission revealed a record-breaking voter turnout, which analysts believed would favor the student movement.

Vučić had instigated the early elections following two years of protests sparked by a train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad, a tragedy that claimed 16 lives and highlighted issues of corruption and negligence in the country. The announcement was made at the headquarters of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Belgrade, the capital city.

Upon hearing the news, the streets of Belgrade erupted in jubilation, with citizens dancing, honking their cars, and setting off fireworks. This developing story is being continuously updated; additional information will be released shortly. Stay tuned for the most comprehensive version. For real-time updates, you can access the BBC News App on your smartphone or tablet, or follow @BBCBreaking on X for the latest alerts.