Reuters: Serbian students topple Vučić in historic elections, Belgrade celebrates political change! Citizens: The people defeated a dictator

Thousands of citizens have filled Belgrade’s main streets to celebrate the victory of the list of candidates backed by students in the parliamentary elections after Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat, Reuters reports.

The atmosphere in the Serbian capital was electric, with large crowds blocking traffic and trams, while smoke, flares and celebrating citizens could be seen in the streets.

Unlike the protests of previous months, this time the students and their supporters took to the streets to celebrate victory.

The result marks a major political turning point in Serbia, where Vučić and his party had dominated the political scene for years.

The student movement gained momentum after the collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, a tragedy in which 16 people lost their lives.

The incident sparked widespread public anger and became the starting point for protests against corruption and what protesters described as official negligence. Vučić has denied the corruption allegations.

“The people won”: Celebrations after political change

The victory of the student-backed list was met with strong emotion. Milica, a law student, described the result as one of the most important moments of her life, saying that citizens would now be able to breathe freely.

Meanwhile, Nebojša Ćosić, one of the citizens celebrating in the streets, declared: “The people won! The people defeated a dictator! The people will lead Serbia!”

The student-backed list consisted of 250 candidates, including lawyers, professors, actors and farmers. Many of them were little-known figures to the public, but they managed to unite supporters from different sections of society.

The next challenge: Governing the country

After the celebrations, the candidates face the challenge of moving from protest to governance. The movement, which was built around demands to fight corruption and ensure institutional accountability, must now show how it will implement its promises.

According to Reuters, the development represents an important moment for Serbia, demonstrating the influence that mobilization by the younger generation can have when public dissatisfaction turns into an organized movement.