A student-led protest movement has ended the 14-year rule of Serbia's right-wing party, former President Aleksandar Vučić conceded Sunday.
Why it matters: The historic upset sidelines a Balkan strongman who courted President Trump's family and allies, raising questions about future U.S. relations with a country that has balanced ties with Russia and the West.
- Vučić's outreach has included the president's son Donald Trump Jr. and longtime ally Richard Grenell, while a proposed development involving Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner became embroiled in controversy.
The big picture: The movement's electoral breakthrough reflects a broader wave of youth activism in Europe, where young people have mobilized over corruption, education and economic pressures.
- The victory could usher in democratic reforms in Serbia, where Vučić consolidated power.
Driving the news: Vučić said Sunday evening it was "clear" that his Serbian Progressive Party had lost to the student-backed electoral movement, although official results had yet to be announced, according to translations of his announcement.
- He projected the Student List would win between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament, compared with 105 for his coalition.
- Cardiologist Ilija Srdanović heads the Student List, though the grassroots movement emphasized its decentralized leadership.
- The result echoes the student-led movement that helped topple Slobodan Milošević in 2000, with Serbians reviving that era's "He's finished!" rallying cry as they celebrated Sunday.
Context: The movement emerged from mass protests after the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, fueling public anger over alleged government corruption.
- It subsequently evolved into an electoral movement campaigning for accountability and institutional reform.
What's next: The Student List must choose a prime minister and form a government while Serbia faces a separate presidential election in December to replace Vučić.