Celebrations in Serbia after veteran ruler Vučić loses election

Serbia's long-serving leader, Aleksandar Vučić, conceded defeat in a snap parliamentary election to a student-led protest movement. Crowds celebrated across major cities including Belgrade, Novi Sad, and others. The student movement, formed less than two years ago due to a railway station disaster linked to corruption and negligence, contested the election with candidates from various backgrounds in Serbian society.

Vučić acknowledged, "It is clear we have lost these elections," after receiving 39.2% of the votes while the Student List secured 52.6%. With 97% of polling stations counted, the election commission reported that the students garnered 2.24 million votes, compared to 1.67 million for the former ruling party. Vučić, who had served two terms as president and could not run for a third, aimed to reclaim the prime minister position, which he relinquished in 2017.

The movement's leader, Ilija Srdanović, declared, "This will be a free state," expressing hopes to liberate the country from oppression. On the streets, people danced, chanted "victory," honked cars, and set off fireworks, expressing joy and relief. A celebration speech by Student List candidate Radomir Saicic highlighted the determination of Serbians, stating, "No obstacle was greater than their will."