Supporters of Serbia's student-backed opposition movement celebrated in Belgrade on Sunday after President Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat for his ruling party in a snap parliamentary election. The concession marked a major political turning point, ending the contest with defeat for a party that had dominated the country's politics for years.
The election followed nearly two years of demonstrations against the government, triggered by the collapse of a concrete canopy at Novi Sad railway station in November 2024. Sixteen people were killed in the disaster, which provoked widespread anger over alleged corruption and failures of public oversight.
Students emerged as the driving force behind the protests as demonstrations spread across Serbia. The movement gradually united people from different political backgrounds around demands for accountability and political change. Supporters gathered in the capital to celebrate Vučić's announcement after this prolonged period of mobilisation.
Earlier, officials had begun counting ballots at polling stations across Belgrade once voting closed. Preliminary figures issued by Serbia's election commission indicated that turnout was the highest for a parliamentary election in more than three decades. That level of participation underscored the scale of public engagement in the closely watched contest between the governing party and a broad opposition movement.
