Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat to a student-led movement in a historic election, ending his decade-long dominance of the country’s politics.
The victory comes amid a wave of student protests across Europe and beyond, with young people mobilising against corruption, education policies, rising living costs and government accountability.
Vucic acknowledged defeat on Sunday after preliminary results showed the Student List winning the parliamentary election.
The movement emerged from nearly two years of protests following the deaths of 16 people in a railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in 2024.
“It is clear that we have lost these elections, the Student List has won,” Vucic said in a televised address.
The announcement prompted celebrations across Belgrade, with tens of thousands of people gathering in the streets.
Vucic said the student-backed candidates were expected to win between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-member parliament, while his Serbian Progressive Party would secure 105.
The result marks a major setback for Vucic, who has dominated Serbian politics as prime minister or president since 2014
The protests that preceded the election were driven by demands for accountability, action against corruption and changes to the country’s political system.
The outcome also comes amid a wider wave of student mobilisation, with demonstrations in several European countries challenging governments over education, living costs, public spending and political decisions.
STUDENTS TAKE TO STREETS ACROSS EUROPE
In France, protests gained momentum on September 21 after students at Lycee Saint-Exupery in Creteil demonstrated against teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school buildings.
The movement subsequently drew support from trade unions and people affected by inflation.
On October 17, around 5.5 lakh people took part in 110 demonstrations across France, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. Organisers estimated the turnout at eight lakh
While many marches remained peaceful, violence broke out in Paris, Marseille, Limoges and other cities. The Associated Press reported around 400 arrests.
Italy also witnessed student demonstrations on October 16 over education funding, military expenditure and government policies.
During the protests, students opposed a proposed cap on foreign pupils in some classrooms and called for greater investment in education.
Demonstrations in Milan escalated the following day, with masked protesters throwing stones at police and setting barricades on fire.
In Albania, thousands of young demonstrators gathered outside the Education Ministry in Tirana on October 17, demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation.
The protests followed months of anger over corruption, unemployment and a controversial coastal development associated with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
Police used tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon after protesters threw stones at riot police, Reuters reported.
Germany, Austria and Greece have also witnessed student mobilisation, although on a smaller scale.
Demonstrators in Germany opposed preparations for compulsory military service and demanded greater education spending.
Students in Austria raised concerns about university budget cuts, while those in Greece protested over accommodation costs, housing shortages and education policies.
HOUSING AND ECONOMIC PRESSURES FUEL UNREST
The demonstrations have extended beyond classrooms and university campuses, reflecting wider concerns about the cost of living and access to basic services.
In Spain, housing affordability has become a major source of public anger. Protests intensified in September following the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, whose rent had reportedly risen sharply.
Her subsequent death intensified public concern over evictions and property speculation. Housing activists in Madrid have demanded restrictions on investment funds purchasing residential properties.
Portugal also witnessed demonstrations in Lisbon on October 17 over rising rents, wages, pensions and deteriorating public services.
Amnesty International called for an investigation after 37 people were injured during a police operation to clear a peaceful housing protest camp in Porto.
European Union law professor Alberto Alemanno told Al Jazeera that student mobilisation was also visible in Greece, Germany and Austria.
However, he cautioned against treating the demonstrations as a single coordinated movement, saying they represented separate processes with some shared grievances.
INDIA’S NEET ROW TRIGGERS YOUTH-LED UPRISING
India witnessed a major youth-led protest movement in 2026 after the leak of the NEET-UG medical entrance examination paper triggered widespread anger among students.
The controversy intensified after the examination was cancelled, forcing around two million candidates to face uncertainty and a retest.
The crisis also drew attention to wider concerns over examination security, technical failures and the pressure faced by students competing for limited college seats.
The protests were led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth movement that began online and developed into a national campaign for education reforms and accountability.
Students gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and staged demonstrations in other cities.
They demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, stricter action against those responsible for paper leaks, reforms to the examination system and financial assistance for families of students who died by suicide amid the crisis.
On July 20, thousands of protesters attempted to march towards Parliament during the Monsoon Session. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse demonstrators, with reports of injuries and detentions.
The protests continued despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising fast-track courts to deal with examination fraud and stricter punishment for those responsible.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had undertaken a 26-day hunger strike in support of the agitation, called off his fast on July 24 after receiving assurances from the government.
The movement secured a major demand on July 25, when Pradhan resigned as education minister amid sustained protests.
The resignation showed how sustained student mobilisation could translate into a direct political consequence.
WHAT SERBIA’S RESULT MEANS
Serbia’s election stands out because the student movement has moved beyond street demonstrations to secure a decisive electoral victory.
The Student List comprises 250 candidates, including academics, actors and farmers, and is led by Ilija Srdanovic. Its stated priorities include tackling corruption, strengthening the rule of law and improving education.
However, questions remain over who will lead the next government and how the movement will implement its agenda.
It will also have to navigate Serbia’s relationships with China, Russia and the European Union.
The election result does not establish that student movements across different countries share a common leadership or political programme.
Their demands vary, ranging from education and housing to corruption and government accountability.
Yet the developments point to a growing willingness among young people to challenge established political structures.
In Serbia, that mobilisation has translated into an electoral victory, placing the student-backed movement in a position to test whether the energy of the streets can be converted into effective governance.
Source: India Today