Vučić concedes defeat in Serbia’s parliamentary election: what we know

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has conceded defeat in the parliamentary election. Speaking at the “United Serbia” party headquarters shortly after 9:30 p.m., he said that, based on their sample, the election had been lost. Final results are not yet available, and turnout was noticeably higher than in 2023.

“We don’t have final results. Many will be surprised. But based on our sample, it is clear that we lost this election,” Vučić said, according to Serbian media. He estimated that his group would win about 105 seats, while the Student List would take between 135 and 140. A projection by the agencies Ipsos and CeSID gives the Student List 138 seats and Vučić’s group 104. At least 126 seats are needed for a parliamentary majority.

Vučić said he was proud of his group’s work and intended to continue the political fight. He congratulated the Student List but also accused his opponents of carrying out a revolution with support from abroad. In his words, the new government will be forced under foreign pressure to impose sanctions on Russia.

The Student List leader, Ilija Srdanović, declared: “Serbia has won.” He said he was proud of the citizens who had managed to say “no” to a tyrant, and that the country is moving toward a civilized and better Serbia. After the first results, the list’s supporters began celebrating in the streets of Belgrade.

Polling stations closed at 8 p.m. Turnout was markedly higher than in the previous parliamentary election. According to the independent Serbian organization CRTA, it reached 67.8 percent at 7 p.m., compared with 55.5 percent at the same time in 2023. The Student List’s campaign headquarters estimated turnout at 8 p.m. at 69.1 percent.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz