How student assemblies brought down the Serbian government

France 24 · Paul MILLAR · 2026-10-27 18:58 UTC

A list of academics, engineers, artists and activists chosen by Serbia’s student assemblies defeated long-ruling president Aleksandar Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party Sunday. The shock victory comes after nearly two years of student-led anti-corruption protests – and may serve as a model for other movements hoping to turn street demonstrations into concrete political change.

A list of academics, engineers, artists and activists chosen by Serbia’s student assemblies defeated long-ruling president Aleksandar Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party Sunday. The shock victory comes after nearly two years of student-led anti-corruption protests – and may serve as a model for other movements hoping to turn street demonstrations into concrete political change.

Almost two years ago, a concrete canopy at a freshly renovated railway station in Serbia’s second city of Novi Sad collapsed. The falling canopy, which the country’s protest movement has blamed on widespread corruption, killed 16 people. Now, it has brought the country’s ruling party down with it.

Serbia’s right-wing populist president Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in the country’s parliamentary elections on Sunday. Just who exactly he has conceded to remains harder to judge. The force that won the popular vote, and a clear majority of parliamentary seats, is not a traditional opposition party – or any kind of party at all.

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