Serbia’s Vucic loses election, accuses EU and US ‘deep state’ of meddling: As it happened
The bloc’s leaders rushed to congratulate the student-led opposition on its projected victory before the official vote count was complete
Serbia’s student-led opposition is leading in Sunday’s snap parliamentary election, according to preliminary results. Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has accused unnamed European powers and anti-Trump forces in the US of meddling in the vote to “bring down a sovereign country.”
According to preliminary results published by the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) early Monday, the opposition Student List leads with 51.84% of the vote, compared with 39.77% for Vucic’s United Serbia coalition, with nearly 93% of polling stations reporting.
The official figures have moved closer to the final projection by pollster Ipsos and election monitor CeSID overnight, which put the Student List at 52.9% and Vucic’s coalition at 38.8%, based on their stratified sample.
In his remarks earlier on election night, Vucic accused foreign powers of helping engineer his political downfall, describing the vote as the “verification of a revolution” carried out with direct support from “various European countries and the American deep state,” which he said was opposed to US President Donald Trump.
“I congratulate them, although they are merely the executors, the executors of dirty work devised by someone else to bring down a sovereign country,” Vucic said, referring to the student-led opposition.
“You have succeeded for the moment. For how long? We shall see,” he added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa were quick to congratulate the Student List, issuing virtually identical statements on X. Both pledged Brussels’ support for reforms and efforts to advance Serbia’s integration into the EU.
Vucic also warned that a new government could impose sanctions on Russia within months, despite opposition representatives insisting that Belgrade’s policy toward Moscow would remain unchanged.
The former Serbian leader nevertheless pledged to respect the electorate’s decision and continue his political struggle from the opposition, dismissing speculation that he would flee the country.
“I love Serbia. I will never leave Serbia,” Vucic declared, insisting that his party would remain united and politically active.
The election follows nearly two years of political unrest sparked by the deadly collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people and fueled allegations of corruption and failures in safety oversight. Vucic resigned as president on September 27 to participate in the parliamentary race.
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26 October 2026
03:46 GMT
The Student List has widened its lead over Aleksandar Vucic’s United Serbia coalition to nearly 11 percentage points, according to preliminary results from Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission (RIK).
As of 4:30am local time on Monday, with 87.7% of polling stations reporting and just over 1,000 still to be counted, the opposition Student List had secured 51.08% of the vote, compared with 40.24% for Vucic’s coalition.
The Socialist-led coalition of Ivica Dacic remained below the 3% parliamentary threshold, with just 2.28% of the vote.
02:53 GMT
Crowds of supporters of the opposition Student List have gathered outside the National Assembly building in central Belgrade to celebrate the movement’s projected victory in Sunday’s snap parliamentary election.
Footage shared on social media shows people filling the streets directly in front of the parliament building as celebrations continue across the Serbian capital.
02:18 GMT
Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) has released updated preliminary results showing the opposition Student List leading with 50.02% of the vote, compared with 40.9% for Aleksandar Vucic’s United Serbia coalition.
As of 3:15am local time on Monday, the commission had processed 6,773 of the country’s 8,392 polling stations, representing approximately 80.7% of the total.
The Student List has received 1,543,495 votes, against 1,262,119 for Vucic’s coalition, giving the opposition a lead of more than 281,000 votes.
The Socialist-led coalition of Ivica Dacic remains below the 3% parliamentary threshold, with just 2.34% of the vote.
01:30 GMT
Crowds celebrating the opposition Student List’s projected election victory have stormed a pro-Vucic tent camp in central Belgrade, tearing down metal fences and dismantling tents, according to local media and AP.
The encampment, nicknamed “Caciland,” had occupied Pioneers Park near the Serbian parliament for more than 18 months, serving as a gathering point for government supporters opposed to the student-led protest movement.
Videos and eyewitness reports show people tearing apart tents and removing barriers. At least one tent was set on fire, while local outlet Vreme also reported two vehicles burning.
00:47 GMT
Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) has released updated preliminary results showing the opposition Student List leading with 48.26% of the vote, compared with 42.2% for Aleksandar Vucic’s United Serbia coalition.
As of 1:40am local time on Monday, the commission had processed 5,417 of the country’s 8,392 polling stations, representing approximately 64.6% of the total.
The Student List has received 1,056,971 votes, against 924,214 for Vucic’s coalition, giving the opposition a lead of more than 132,000 votes
The Socialist-led coalition of Ivica Dacic trails with 2.41%, below the 3% parliamentary threshold.
The official figures differ from the final Ipsos/CeSID projection, which estimated 52.9% for the Student List and 38.8% for United Serbia. Counting continues, with the final results yet to be announced.
00:15 GMT
In his remarks earlier on election night, former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused European countries and the American “deep state” of helping engineer his party’s projected electoral defeat, warning that the incoming government could abandon Belgrade’s longstanding refusal to sanction Russia.
Vucic described the election as the culmination of a political upheaval backed by foreign actors, accusing the Student List of carrying out an operation designed to undermine Serbia’s sovereignty.
He predicted that a new government would introduce sanctions against Moscow by March or April next year, despite opposition representatives insisting that Serbia’s Russia policy would remain unchanged.
Vucic nevertheless pledged not to obstruct the formation of a new government, saying the incoming parliamentary majority could establish an administration within 10 to 15 days.
“I love Serbia. I will never leave Serbia,” he declared, dismissing speculation that he might flee the country and vowing to continue his political struggle from the opposition.
25 October 2026
23:55 GMT
Serbia’s opposition Student List is projected to win 52.9% of the vote, compared with 38.8% for Aleksandar Vucic’s United Serbia coalition, according to the final projection released by pollster Ipsos and election monitor CeSID.
The figures are based on 96% of their processed sample, with estimated voter turnout reaching 69.3%.
The Socialist-led coalition of Ivica Dacic trails far behind with just 2.2%, below the 3% parliamentary threshold. All other electoral lists are projected to receive less than 1% each.
The figures remain unofficial, with final results yet to be announced by Serbia’s electoral commission.
23:15 GMT
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who unseated Viktor Orbán in April after 16 years in power, has congratulated Serbia’s opposition Student List on its projected election victory.
“I have just spoken by phone with the leaders of the Students’ List,” Magyar wrote on X, saying he had assured them of Hungary’s support.
“I was delighted to hear how much strength our victory in April had given them during this difficult struggle,” he added, drawing parallels between the two countries’ political upheavals.
Magyar’s Tisza party defeated Orbán’s Fidesz in Hungary’s April 12 parliamentary election. Serbia’s final official election results have yet to be confirmed.
23:05 GMT
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa have rushed to congratulate Serbia’s opposition Student List on its projected election victory, even as the country’s electoral authorities have yet to announce the final official results.
The two EU leaders published virtually identical statements on X, praising the high voter turnout and pledging Brussels’ support for reforms involving the rule of law, media freedom, anti-corruption measures and democratic institutions.
“We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions,” both wrote, also expressing their willingness to advance Serbia’s future in the European Union.
23:00 GMT
Serbia’s ruling Progressive Party (SNS) accepts the preliminary election outcome and intends to continue its political struggle in parliament, party candidate Marina Ragus has told Tanjug.
“The voice of the people is the voice of God. And you can only respect that,” she said, noting that the SNS expects to secure more than 105 parliamentary seats after 14 years in power.
Ragus suggested that moving into opposition could allow the party to reassess its policies and reform its ranks.
“Brussels won,” she added, questioning what the election outcome would mean for Serbia’s refusal to impose sanctions on Russia and its economic cooperation with China.