By Midtown Times Staff
BELGRADE, Serbia (Midtown Times) — Supporters of Serbia’s student-backed opposition movement filled the streets of Belgrade on Sunday after President Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat, signaling a major political shift following nearly two years of protests against his government.
Election workers began counting ballots after polling stations closed across the capital. Preliminary data from Serbia’s election commission showed the country’s highest turnout in a parliamentary election in more than 30 years, underscoring intense public interest in the contest between the governing party and a broad opposition coalition.
The election followed months of demonstrations sparked by the November 2024 collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station, which killed 16 people. The tragedy intensified public anger over alleged corruption, weak government oversight and failures to hold officials accountable.
Students became the leading force behind the protest movement, organizing demonstrations that spread throughout the country. Over time, the campaign attracted Serbians from across the political spectrum who shared demands for accountability, institutional reform and a change in leadership.
Vučić’s concession brought a dramatic end to the closely watched election. Opposition supporters gathered in Belgrade to celebrate what they viewed as the fall of a political establishment that had dominated Serbia for years.
The vote represents a potentially historic turning point, although the final allocation of parliamentary seats will depend on the official results.
