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Serbia student movement ends Vucic's 14 years in power
The Hindu·
Serbia's student movement declared victory in Sunday's parliamentary election, ending Aleksandar Vucic's party's 14-year rule. Protests followed a 2024 Novi Sad canopy collapse that killed 16 people. Officials said nearly 65 percent of 6.4 million registered voters had voted by 6:00 p.m. Vucic conceded within two hours and said the movement could win 135 to 140 of 250 seats.
Prism
What It Means For You
- A student majority in the 250-seat parliament can pass laws without coalition partners if preliminary seat counts hold.
- Turnout near 65 percent signals broad engagement after months of street protests across Serbia.
- Celebrations in Belgrade included honking cars and fireworks after Vucic's concession speech.
What's Happening
- The Students' List candidate Radomir Saicic said preliminary results showed students leading at most polling stations.
- Vucic blamed foreign powers and said the result validated what he called foreign support for the movement.
- Protests began after the Novi Sad railway canopy disaster widely blamed on corruption.
Novi Sad Canopy Protests
- Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party had held power for 14 years before Sunday's snap vote.
- The 2024 station collapse killed 16 people and triggered Serbia's largest protests since 2000.
- Sunday's turnout surpassed the 1993 parliamentary election when just over 61 percent voted.
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