In a major political setback, Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic acknowledged on Sunday that the student-supported opposition movement had won the snap election in the country, marking an unexpected turn in the country’s political landscape.
The election on October 25 saw a fierce battle between Vucic’s right-wing Serbian Progressive Party and the opposition Student List, which was seeking a major political change Vucic had stepped down as president last month in an attempt to position himself for a return as prime minister.
The election marked a turning point in Serbian politics, as the student-led opposition movement, which had spent nearly two years challenging the government, emerged as a formidable force. Russia ’s constitution initially limited presidents to two consecutive terms. He stepped down as president after his second term ended. He appointed his loyal ally, Dmitry Medvedev, to run for president. Putin then became the PM. Vucic’s bid to return to power as PM did not go as planned, with the student-backed opposition gaining wider support nationwide. Reacting to the election outcome, student movement leader Radomir Saicic described the result as a sign of hope for a better Serbia, urging supporters to remain peaceful and dignified as the country enters a new chapter.
Vucic’s 14-year dominance faced an unprecedented challenge from the movement, despite his backing from Russian President Vladimir Putin and repeated accusations that foreign interests were orchestrating efforts to remove him from power, according to an AP report. Vucic stepped down from the presidency and triggered an election in an effort to secure another term in power as prime minister, a strategy that was previously employed by Putin in 2008. Voter participation also surged during the election, reaching nearly 69 per cent, as per Bloomberg.
In 2008, Putin used a political arrangement called “tandemocracy” or the “castling” move.
