Serbia's Student-Led Movement Wins Election as Vucic Concedes Defeat

Supporters of the student-led opposition movement that won Serbia's election stormed the Belgrade office of Informer TV, a pro-government outlet, Reuters reported on October 27, 2026. Video showed protesters inside the building after the result, which was a defeat for longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic.

The vote was scheduled for October 25, 2026, and was a contest between the student-led protest movement and Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Vucic had resigned as president before the election, according to Balkan Insight. Students had campaigned to unseat him after months of protests, which the movement has organised since late 2024.

Vucic conceded defeat. With almost 99 per cent of votes counted, the student-backed candidates had secured 52.7 per cent, Reuters reported on October 26. The result ended a long period in which Vucic dominated Serbian politics, and Reuters said the country was waiting to see how the student-backed leaders would govern.

Serbia's public broadcaster, Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV), also changed its tone. According to NV, RTV opened its news broadcast with an apology to viewers for years of one-sided, pro-government coverage. An anchor apologised on air for having pushed out one-sided information for years in favour of Vucic, as The New York Times reported.

The changes in the media came after a long-running dispute over coverage. On October 17, a German newspaper accused Vucic and the SNS of systematically expanding their influence over Serbia's media. The same newspaper compared Vucic's effort to consolidate power with a political manoeuvre by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the N1 news site reported.

Some outside voices have also weighed in on the students' role. Edward P. Joseph, a conflict expert and lecturer at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, said Serbian students deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, according to N1.