Serbia's veteran ruler Vučić concedes election to student-led protest movement

Key Points:

• Serbian right-wing populist leader Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in snap elections called after two years of protests sparked by a fatal train station collapse in Novi Sad, which highlighted issues of corruption and negligence.
• Preliminary election commission figures indicated a record-high voter turnout of 64.9%, with the student-led anti-corruption movement, known as the Student List, gaining significant support from anti-government voters nationwide.
• The Student List, composed of candidates from diverse professional backgrounds including doctors, actors, and academics, campaigned on promises to purge corrupt officials, depoliticize public enterprises, and free the public broadcaster from political control.
• Celebrations erupted in Belgrade and Novi Sad following the election results, with citizens expressing hope for positive change and freedom from what they described as tyranny.
• Vučić, who had served two presidential terms and sought to return as prime minister, had campaigned on increasing pensions, public sector salaries, and healthcare investment while supporting Serbia's EU candidacy but resisting sanctions on Russia.