Aleksandar Vučić, leader of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) list, admitted defeat on Sunday evening in the early parliamentary elections in Serbia. According to preliminary estimates by CeSID and Ipsos, the Student List is winning with 52 per cent of the vote, while Aleksandar Vučić's United Serbia list secured 39.3 per cent.
Vučić stated that the student-blocker list had won and would secure between 135 and 140 mandates, while the SNS would have around 105 mandates. The Serbian parliament has 250 members, with the remaining mandates allocated to representatives of national minorities. According to Vučić's estimates, representatives of national minorities could also enter parliament, with the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians potentially winning three mandates, and the Albanian list and SDA one each. Vučić also stated that his list had around 1.72 million votes, while the winning list had around 2.2 million.
The elections recorded the highest turnout in the last three decades. A representative of the student list stated that more than 4,350,000 citizens had voted. Slightly more than 6.45 million voters were eligible to vote, and polling stations were open from 7:00 to 20:00. Eighteen lists competed for the 250 seats in the National Assembly, nine of which have minority status. The electoral threshold for entering parliament is three per cent, except for minority lists.
Vučić accused political opponents of hiding their true intentions during the campaign, and said that media supporting the blockers were scum and had fabricated every word. He also stated that the students had carried out a revolution with the help of various European countries and the deep American state. He further noted that the United Serbia list had won in the region, mentioning Republika Srpska, Montenegro and North Macedonia, and that the election winners would introduce sanctions against the Russian Federation by March or April. Vučić sent a message that there would be no unrest or conflict in the streets, that the SNS would continue political activity from the opposition, and that it would remain firm and united despite the possible departure of certain business figures. He said he would not insist on lawsuits, appeals and objections to the Administrative Court, that he could form whatever government he wished, and that he would never leave Serbia.
The streets of Belgrade were flooded with celebration after Vučić's admission. Students chanted victory and it is over, torches were lit, and people shouted victory, victory. On behalf of the students, Radomir Šajčić, a professor at the University of Belgrade, spoke at their headquarters. He added: Tonight we celebrate victory, tomorrow we build the future. A woman named Tanja said: Incredible luck and joy, we have finally got rid of this mafia.
The Student Electoral List called on citizens to stay in their cities, help protect the election results, and avoid locations with increased police and ununiformed personnel presence. They stated that the closing of polling stations does not end the electoral process, that we must not allow anyone to endanger what we fought for, and that Serbia is not in Belgrade, Serbia is in Serbia. A group of citizens gathered at the intersection near London in central Belgrade, not far from the headquarters of the RIK, where those present raised three fingers in support of the student electoral list. The intersection is on King Milan Street, which has been closed to traffic since the morning hours in the section passing by state institutions.
Vladimir Dimitrijević, president of the Republic Election Commission (RIK), stated that the first preliminary results could be expected around 21:15. Groups of men dressed in black, some wearing hoods and balaclavas, left Pionirski Park in Belgrade, known as Ćacilend, shortly after Vučić announced the election defeat.
At the extraordinary parliamentary elections in Serbia, held on 25 October, numerous Serbian citizens in Switzerland waited for hours to exercise their voting rights. A large number of citizens gathered in front of the Mirko Jovanović Elementary School in the Aerodrom neighbourhood of Kragujevac. Police reportedly detained a woman on suspicion that double voter lists were found on her, and three intervention police units arrived at the scene. Citizens reacted violently when a man who was with the woman was released without being detained. Some of the gathered claim the man is linked to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), but this information has not been confirmed.
Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar posted on the social network X after Aleksandar Vučić admitted defeat.
