Magyar, Spajic and Milatovic react to Serbia's election
Hungary's prime minister wrote on Facebook that Vucic had announced a defeat, while Montenegro's prime minister and president congratulated the Student List on X.
The first reactions from foreign officials to the election result in Serbia came in the evening, after Aleksandar Vucic said his list had lost. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar posted on Facebook, while Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic wrote on X. No final results existed at that point.
Vucic said the Student List had won the election, according to Pannon RTV. Hirnavigator reports that he cited preliminary data based on a stratified sample, and Transtelex writes that the Republic Electoral Commission had not published any public figures at that moment. According to the same outlet, Vucic also said, citing unofficial data, that the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians had won three seats, as reported by Pannon RTV. That number comes from Vucic’s own statement, not from an official announcement.
What did Magyar post on Facebook?
According to Hungarian news portals, Magyar wrote that Vucic had announced a defeat, that the Student List was winning an absolute majority and that celebrations had begun in streets across Serbia. He ended the post with a single question: “Sounds familiar?” Portfolio published the story at 21:59, and Hirnavigator says the post appeared shortly before 10 p.m.
The sources we reviewed do not explain what the question refers to.
Pannon RTV also reported an earlier Magyar post about the elections in Serbia, in which he recalled his childhood and visits with his parents to a Serbian restaurant that no longer exists.
Congratulations from Podgorica
Spajic posted his message from the account @MickeySpajic. Nova.rs carried the story at 21:53, and RTNK published the full text of his statement:
Today’s day in Serbia is a vivid reminder that the will of citizens and their right to decide freely about their future is the foundation of every democratic change. I congratulate the representatives of the Student List and firmly believe that a new chapter lies ahead for Montenegro and Serbia, based on respect and open dialogue, without unnecessary escalation of tensions. Citizens of both countries deserve relations that will be measured by concrete results of cooperation, not by the depth of diplomatic misunderstandings.
Milatovic wrote on X, according to the portal Dan: “I congratulate the Student List on its election victory, and the citizens of the Republic of Serbia on their clearly expressed democratic will.” He added that he was convinced the result would open a new chapter in relations between Montenegro and Serbia, based on friendship, honest dialogue and a commitment to a shared European future.
What came from Brussels, and what did not?
The head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, expressed deep concern during election day over reports of violent incidents at polling stations, Transtelex writes. In the sources we reviewed, Brussels spoke up during the day only through him.
As of 10:15 p.m., those sources contain no reactions from officials in Pristina, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Moscow or Washington, and no congratulations from the European Commission.
Who is behind the Student List?
The list is headed, according to Transtelex, by Ilija Srdanovic, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Novi Sad, who could become the new prime minister if it wins. The movement grew out of protests that have continued since November 1, 2024, when the canopy of the railway station in Novi Sad collapsed. Vucic announced on September 27 that he would resign as president and called early parliamentary elections for October 25, and Serbia’s new president is to be elected on December 25.
Official results from the Republic Electoral Commission had not been published at the time of writing.
