Fireworks burst over Belgrade and car horns blared late last night as celebrations swept several Serbian cities following a snap election that unseated veteran leader Aleksandar Vucic’s party, driven by a student-backed movement.
In the capital, cars draped in Serbian flags cruised through the streets as crowds packed public squares and gathered near parliament, turning the city centre into a noisy, flag-waving sea of people.
“I feel as though I am finally living in a free country,” student Mila Martic told AFP.
The parliamentary vote capped nearly two years of student-led demonstrations sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station, a disaster that killed 16 people.
That tragedy has been widely blamed on corruption and went on to ignite some of Serbia’s largest protests since the fall of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
Supporters of the Students’ List gather at the National assembly building as they celebrate their victory
Within minutes of Vucic conceding defeat, people streamed into the streets, swelling crowds that had already begun forming soon after polls closed; within hours, thousands were celebrating across several cities.
Many in the throng raised three fingers — the student-backed election list’s ballot number and also a traditional Serbian greeting — while others lit flares, adding bursts of red light to the scenes of jubilation.
At the Students’ List headquarters, supporters embraced, cried and applauded, repeatedly chanting: “Victory, victory!”
‘So happy’
“I am experiencing emotions I’ve never felt before. I am so happy for my family,” she added, holding back tears.
“Serbia has won as we promised. Never again a tyrant in this country!” university professor and Students’ List candidate Radomir Saicic told supporters inside the movement’s headquarters.
He called on people to mark the moment calmly, urging celebrations that were peaceful and dignified.
“Tonight we celebrate the best way Serbia knows, with song, dance, hugs and tears of joy.”
“Tomorrow the work starts, serious, responsible hard work to build Serbia in which the law applies equally to everyone.”
As celebrations built outside, groups of hooded men dressed in black were seen hurrying out of a pro-government encampment that had occupied a city park across from parliament for months.
The parliamentary election was the culmination of nearly two years of student-led protests
People then poured into the park and began dismantling what remained of the tents; one tent was set on fire, though there were no reports of clashes.
Trucks carrying riot police were also seen leaving the city centre, prompting cheers and waves from the crowds as they rolled away.
An AFP journalist watched as Students’ List supporters formed a folk dance, while Mirjana Nikolic — a candidate on the Students’ List and rector of the University of Arts — paid tribute to “all these young people, without whom none of this would have been possible”.
Jubilant images were broadcast from other cities as well, including Novi Sad — where the protest movement began — with local outlets showing thousands gathering there to celebrate.
