Symbolic imageStudent List wins Serbian election as Vučić concedes
Serbia's student-led list won Sunday's snap parliamentary election, and Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat. Turnout was the highest in more than 30 years, according to Al Jazeera.
Vučić, who resigned as president in late September and had planned to become prime minister, conceded on Sunday, 25 October. He cited a sample giving the Student List 135 to 140 of 250 seats and his own list about 105. With 96.47% of records counted, the electoral commission reported 52.57% for the Student List and 39.27% for United Serbia, TASS says. Crowds celebrated in Belgrade and other cities.
Seat counts differ slightly
Politika, citing the commission's preliminary results, reports 140 seats for the Student List and 104 for Vučić's list. An Ipsos and CeSID projection gives 141 and 103, without diaspora polling stations. Le Monde says only four minority lists cleared the field besides the two, and that the Socialist Party appears set to leave parliament for the first time in 36 years.
Vučić blames outside forces
Vučić blamed independent media, unnamed European countries and an "American deep state" for the loss, AP reports. He said the Student List can form a majority alone, per TASS. Candidate Radomir Saicic called the result a citizens' victory that "carries responsibility".
Other opinions
Reuters' headline says the Kremlin hailed Vučić and that his defeat adds to Moscow's geopolitical woes. TASS reports only the vote shares.