Serbia's long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat to a student-led protest movement in snap parliamentary elections, sparking celebrations in Belgrade, Novi Sad and other cities.
With 97 per cent of polling stations counted, Serbia's election commission said the Student List had won 2.25 million votes, or 52.7 per cent, against 1.67 million, or 39.2 per cent, for Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). "It is clear we have lost these elections," Vucic said at his party's headquarters in Belgrade.
The movement was born less than two years ago after the collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station killed 16 people, a disaster widely blamed on corruption and negligence. Vucic called the early vote after two years of protests. Having served two terms as president and barred from a third, he was leading the SNS in a bid to return as prime minister. His party had been in power since 2012.
The Student List's lead candidate, Ilija Srdanovic, said Serbia "will be a free state" and that the anti-corruption movement aimed to "free the country from tyranny". Crowds danced, chanted "victory" and set off fireworks. "Serbia is free," one student said. "It's a miracle."
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said "a new chapter can begin for Serbia" and that "the door to the EU is open". Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov praised Vucic's contribution to ties with Moscow and said he hoped the new political force would see cooperation with Russia as in Serbia's interest.