Key facts
- A student-led movement won over 50% of the vote in Serbia's national election.
- The movement secured 140 of the 250 seats in parliament.
- The election saw the highest voter turnout since 1992.
- The movement's platform includes ridding the country of corruption and reforming the judiciary and media.
A student-led movement in Serbia has achieved a significant electoral victory, ending 14 years of rule by authoritarian leader Aleksandar Vučić. The movement, which originated from protests against a deadly railway station roof collapse and faced police repression, secured over 50% of the vote in an election with the highest turnout since 1992. The group, comprising academics, athletes, and others chosen through student assemblies, aims to restore democratic institutions, combat corruption, and reform the judiciary and media. Their success is seen as a potential model for political change across Europe, where similar protests have highlighted a breakdown in the social contract. The European Union has expressed readiness to support Serbia's reforms and its path toward EU membership.