DOMINANT ANGLE
The United States weighs Vučić's downfall in terms of American relations: the defeat of a strongman close to Trump's inner circle reopens the question of Belgrade's balance between Russia and the West.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Vučić projects 135 to 140 seats out of 250 for the Student List versus around 105 for the SNS, or 2.2 million votes against 1.7 million (AP).
- 02
He attributed his defeat to independent media, unnamed European countries, and an "American deep state" (AP/CBS).
- 03
Axios notes that Vučić had courted Donald Trump Jr. and Richard Grenell, and that American-Serbian relations are now in question.
ANALYSIS
The United States government is taking note of the news that on Sunday, October 25, Aleksandar Vučić, presented as a "strongman" with "virtually absolute" power for 14 years, acknowledged his defeat to a movement led by students, who had been protesting against his government for two years. He announced that the Student List would obtain between 135 and 140 seats out of 250, compared to around 105 for his Serbian Progressive Party, or around 2.2 million votes against 1.7 million. "The Student List has won," he said, about an hour and a half after the polling stations closed.
The reports highlight the context: a highly contested election, with high participation, students accusing the government of corruption and dismantling democracy, and a leader supported by Vladimir Putin who denounced the movement as a foreign-led attempt at overthrow. Vučić attributed his defeat to independent media, alleged interference from unnamed European countries, and an "American deep state". In the streets of Belgrade and other cities, the crowd honked horns and chanted "Aleksandar is gone".
Axios provides the most Washington-focused analysis. The site writes that this historic upheaval removes a strongman from the Balkans who had courted the family and allies of President Trump, including Donald Trump Jr. and Richard Grenell, while a real estate project linked to Jared Kushner had been at the center of controversy. It raises questions about future American relations with a country that has balanced its ties between Russia and the West, and estimates that the victory could pave the way for democratic reforms.
Axios also recalls the origin of the movement: the collapse, in November 2024, of the canopy of the Novi Sad train station, which killed 16 people, and its evolution into an electoral force with decentralized leadership, with cardiologist Ilija Srdanović as the head of the list. The site compares the result to the student movement that contributed to the ousting of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, with the return of the cry "He's finished!". NBC News broadcasts a video of the jubilation, evoking two years of peaceful protest. Axios specifies that the official results had not yet been announced.
