Serbia's long-standing leader Aleksandar Vučić has admitted defeat to the student-led protest movement in snap parliamentary elections. The right-wing populist leader conceded late on Sunday, stating that while final results were not yet available, it was clear his party had lost.

Vučić called the snap elections following two years of protests that were initially triggered by the collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad. This incident, which resulted in 16 deaths, became a symbol of perceived corruption and negligence within the government.

Preliminary figures from Serbia's election commission indicated a record high turnout, which commentators had suggested would favor the student movement. Celebrations erupted across the country after Vučić's concession, with people dancing, chanting victory, and setting off fireworks. One student told the BBC it felt like a miracle that Serbia was now free.

The Student List, a movement with no apparent leaders and comprised of individuals new to politics, successfully attracted anti-government voters. The movement fielded candidates from various sectors of society, including doctors, actors, academics, and sports personalities, for the 250-member parliament.

During a celebration speech, Student List candidate Radomir Saicic reportedly stated that Serbians had demonstrated that no obstacle is greater than their will and that no force can permanently overpower a people who have decided to take their destiny into their own hands. The movement's manifesto focused on purging officials who broke rules, cracking down on corrupt practices, preventing party loyalists from leading public enterprises, and freeing the public broadcaster from political control.

Vučić had served two terms as president and was ineligible for a third, leading his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) with the aim of returning to the post of prime minister, a position he held before 2017. His concession speech was delivered at the SNS headquarters in Belgrade.

The Student List's lead candidate, Ilija Srdanović, expressed a hopeful vision for the future, telling BBC Serbian that this would be a "free state" and that the anti-corruption movement aimed to liberate the country from tyranny.

Scenes of jubilation were visible in Novi Sad, the city that ignited the protests, and across Belgrade. David Vasić, a participant in the celebrations, expressed optimism that "everything is going to get better now."